Heraldo de Madrid - Four dead after train hits school bus in Belgium

NYSE - LSE

RBGPF	3.42%	62.87	$
CMSD	0.27%	22.32	$
NGG	-0.33%	81.57	$
CMSC	0.04%	22.34	$
AZN	-0.83%	177.27	$
BCE	-0.99%	24.04	$
RIO	0.51%	105.89	$
BTI	-2.06%	61.06	$
GSK	-1.55%	52.23	$
BCC	0.63%	71.59	$
RYCEF	5.91%	18.11	$
RELX	-2.74%	32.84	$
VOD	-3.53%	15	$
BP	-2.86%	41.59	$
JRI	0.89%	12.78	$

Four dead after train hits school bus in Belgium

BOULEVARD 26.05.2026

Four dead after train hits school bus in Belgium / Photo: DIRK WAEM - BELGA/AFP

Four people, including two children, were killed when a train hit a school minibus carrying in northern Belgium on Tuesday, the country's deputy prime minister said.

Text size:

"A tragic collision between a train and a school bus took place in Buggenhout this morning. Four people have been killed, including two children," Maxime Prevot wrote on X.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever posted that he was "deeply moved by the horrific accident... My thoughts go out to the affected families".

Images from the scene in the Flanders region showed a badly damaged minibus lying on its side on a road next to a railway line, with tents set up by emergency workers around. The commuter train remained halted on the tracks.

Police spokeswoman An Berger told Belgian media that seven children, a supervisor and a driver were aboard the minibus, adding that no one on the train was hurt.

"The impact was extremely violent," Frederic Sacre, a spokesman for Belgium's Infrabel rail agency, told AFP, adding that the train was travelling at 120 kilometres (75 miles) per hour.

"The minibus was thrown about 15 metres (50 feet) into a metal pylon," he said.

- 'Barrier closed' -

Sacre said footage from the scene showed that the barriers at the crossing had been closed and a red light was showing at the time of the incident.

Belgian media reported that the pupils came from a school for children with learning disabilities.

Belgian interior minister Bernard Quintin expressed his deep sadness at the "tragic accident", writing on X that "my thoughts go out to the victims and their loved ones".

"I wish the injured much strength," he wrote, thanking the emergency services for their work.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen joined in the stream of commiserations from politicians, saying she was "heartbroken" by the collision.

"My deepest condolences go out to the victims' families and their loved ones," she posted online.

"Today, Europe grieves with Belgium."

Q.Rios--HdM

Featured

Vast areas of coral reef could resist climate change: study

In the crystalline waters off Kenya's coast, coral reefs are thriving -- evidence of a rare good news story in the battle to protect oceans from the ravages of climate change.

Eight dead in fiery US bomber crash in California: military

Eight people died when a US B-52 bomber crashed and erupted into a catastrophic fire shortly after takeoff at an air force base in California on Monday, officials said.

'They want to destroy us': Shock and anger as Russian attack sets Kyiv cathedral ablaze

Father Makariy, a high-ranking clergyman at Kyiv's Pechersk Lavra monastery complex, was woken at around 5:00 am with a huge roar -- the cathedral at the heart of one of Orthodox Christianity's most important sites had been set on fire in a Russian attack.

Burnt-out Indonesians beat the blues with children's games

Flushed and sweating, 31-year-old Annisa Enggracia Fidel runs back and forth to defend her fort from invaders -- hundreds of fellow adults all beating the blues by playing a nostalgic Indonesian children's game.