School bus crash in Lent, France: mayor says seventy people involved

A school bus carrying children has crashed in eastern France, with officials confirming "several victims" as emergency services rush to the scene. The incident occurred on Friday morning in the town of Lent, located north-east of Lyon, according to BBC News ^[2]. The bus reportedly left the road and struck a tree in a ditch, prompting a major response from local authorities.

French authorities are coordinating the crisis management, with the prefect activating the departmental operations centre. The BBC reported ^[2] that emergency services, including a helicopter, have been deployed to the site. Transport minister Philippe Tabarot stated he was travelling to the scene to assess the situation personally.

The Mirror noted ^[3] that French broadcaster BFM TV initially reported two deaths, though a civil protection spokesperson could not immediately confirm this. Mayor Yves Cristin of Lent told French media that seventy people were involved in the accident. The crash took place around 7am, south of Bourg-en-Bresse.

Education minister Édouard Geffray told reporters his thoughts were with the students involved. The Independent reported ^[4] that the prefect and state services in Ain confirmed several people were injured. The bus is described by officials as being on an intercity route in the Lent area.

Traffic diversions are in place, and the public has been asked to avoid the area while rescue operations continue. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges of road safety for school transport in rural regions. Further updates are expected as the full scale of the injuries becomes clear.