Several Killed as Train Collides with School Minibus in Belgium

At least several people died when a train struck a school minibus at a level crossing in Buggenhout, Belgium, Belgian media reported. The collision occurred shortly after 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT).

Incident Details

The minibus was carrying seven children, a chaperone, and the driver when it was hit by a train on a level crossing in the town of Buggenhout, according to Flemish public broadcaster VRT. Federal police spokeswoman An Berger confirmed that the barriers at the crossing were down at the time of the crash. She stated that no one on the train was injured. Authorities were informing the families of those on the minibus before releasing specific details about the victims.

Official Response

Flemish education minister Zuhal Demir posted on social media: "What heartbreaking news. My thoughts are with all the victims, their families and everyone closely involved." Spokeswoman Berger told VRT she could not immediately provide further details on the casualties.

Context

The incident follows previous fatal collisions between trains and road vehicles at level crossings in Europe. In 2023, a train crash in Greece involving a passenger train and a freight train killed 57 people, highlighting ongoing safety concerns at rail crossings across the continent.