A bus crash in eastern France has killed one minor and one young adult, French authorities reported Friday. The incident, which occurred near the town of Lent in the Ain region, also left 16 people injured, three of whom sustained serious injuries.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot confirmed the "serious bus accident" and stated he was en route to the scene. Emergency services and law enforcement were deployed to the rural area northeast of Lyon. Initial reports from BFM TV indicated that the passengers included children en route to middle and high schools. A photograph from the scene depicted the bus having veered off the road and come to rest in a ditch.
Education Minister Édouard Geffray expressed condolences, stating, "It is always a difficult moment when our students, our children, are victims of an accident like this. My thoughts, and those of the government and the entire education community, are with the families."