A devastating accident occurred early Friday morning near the village of Lent, France, when a bus carrying 43 passengers veered off the road and collided with a tree. Authorities have confirmed that two individuals—a minor and an 18-year-old—lost their lives in the crash, while 16 others sustained injuries. Among the injured, three victims remain in critical condition. The bus was en route between Lyon and Bourg-en-Bresse, transporting a group that included 15 schoolchildren at the time of the incident.

Emergency responders, including dozens of law enforcement officers, helicopters, and drone operators, were immediately deployed to the site to assist with rescue efforts. Local officials, including Education Minister Edouard Geffray, expressed their profound condolences to the families affected by this ordeal. While investigations into the cause of the crash are currently underway and the bus driver is slated for questioning once medically cleared, authorities have officially opened a probe into homicide by vehicle. Although public transport accidents are infrequent in France, this incident serves as a somber reminder of the country’s history of road tragedies involving school-aged children.