Double-Decker Bus Carrying Students Plunges Into River

A double-decker bus carrying high school students plunged into a river in Eastleigh, southern England, on Thursday (June 26), sending the driver and four teenagers to the hospital. The bus, headed for Barton Peveril Sixth Form College, veered off the road and crashed into the river. The incident left more than a dozen others with minor injuries.

The bus was sitting upright in water up to its axles next to a bridge, with its front windows smashed and mud splattered on its side. Emergency services, including two helicopters and five ambulances, responded quickly to the crash.

All 19 passengers were either able to get off the bus or were rescued. The driver and one student sustained serious injuries but are expected to survive. Kelly West, a nearby resident, rushed to the scene and told the BBC that the driver mentioned the brakes were not working and the accelerator was jammed.

Inspector Andy Tester of the Hampshire Constabulary praised the bravery of the first responders and members of the public who assisted at the scene. The police are investigating the cause of the crash, and the bus company is cooperating with the investigation. The road near the crash site is expected to remain closed until the investigation concludes.