Four people, including two children, were killed on Tuesday after a train collided with a school minibus in northern Belgium, authorities confirmed.
The tragic accident occurred in the town of Buggenhout in the Flanders region, according to Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot.
“A tragic collision between a train and a school bus took place in Buggenhout this morning. Four people have been killed, including two children,” Prevot wrote in a post on X.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said he was “deeply moved by the horrific accident” and extended condolences to the affected families.
Images from the scene showed the heavily damaged minibus lying on its side beside the railway tracks, while emergency responders erected tents around the crash site. The commuter train involved in the collision remained stationary on the tracks.
Police spokesperson An Berger told local media that seven children, a supervisor and the driver were travelling in the minibus at the time of the crash. No injuries were reported among passengers aboard the train.
A spokesperson for Belgium’s rail infrastructure agency, Infrabel, Frederic Sacre, described the collision as extremely violent.
According to Sacre, the train was travelling at approximately 120 kilometres per hour when it struck the bus.
“The minibus was thrown about 15 metres into a metal pylon,” he said.
Sacre added that preliminary footage from the crossing indicated that the safety barriers were down and the traffic signal showed red at the time of the accident.
Belgian media reports indicated that the children aboard the bus attended a school for pupils with learning disabilities.
Interior Minister Bernard Quintin expressed deep sorrow over the incident, offering condolences to the victims’ families and wishing strength to those injured.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also reacted to the tragedy, saying she was “heartbroken” by the accident.
“My deepest condolences go out to the victims’ families and their loved ones,” she wrote. “Today, Europe grieves with Belgium.”
