Two children and two adults killed in school bus crash
Two children aged 12 and 15 and two adults were killed when a school bus was hit by a train at a level crossing in Buggenhout, East Flanders, the public prosecutor’s office has confirmed. Five seriously injured children have been taken to hospital and their condition is now stable.
“The toll is particularly heavy,” said Lisa De Wilde of the East Flanders public prosecutor’s office. “There have been four fatalities. These are the 49-year-old driver of the minibus, a 27-year-old supervisor, and two children aged 15 and 12.”
The children were from the Richtpunt school in Buggenhout and a minute's silence was held ahead of the public prosecutor's press conference.
The collision occurred at around 8.15 on Tuesday morning. The circumstances are under investigation but the crossing was closed with red lights displayed at the time of the accident.
The train was travelling from Bruges to Buggenhout, where it was due to stop. “The level crossing was a kilometre before the station, so the train was already slowing down, but the impact was still enormous,” a spokesperson for infrastructure manager Infrabel told VRT. “The train driver did try to apply the emergency brakes, but it was too late.”
According to operator SNCB/NMBS, there were around 100 passengers on the train. No one on the train was injured, although one passenger was treated for shock.
Flemish Education minister Zuhal Demir described the accident as “heartbreaking”. “My thoughts are with all the victims, their families and everyone closely affected," she said on X. "My deepest sympathies go out to everyone touched by this tragedy. I would like to thank the emergency services for their efforts at the scene.”
#FlandersNewsService | Police at the site of an accident after a train crashed into a school bus at a level crossing in Buggenhout, East Flanders, 26 May 2026 © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM