Four dead, Ukrainian passengers, drivers in custody... What we know about the bus accident in Sarthe

The toll shows four deaths, nine in critical condition, and 18 with minor injuries, she said at a press conference in Degré, a town not far from the scene of the accident. "The four deceased are adults," said Sarthe Prefect Emmanuel Aubry, emphasizing that the coach was "the only vehicle involved" in the accident, which occurred on the A81 motorway, at kilometer 179, in the Rennes-Le Mans direction. An "investigation will determine the causes," he added. An initial report indicated 11 people in critical condition.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the crash "horrible news," citing "three Ukrainian citizens" among the four adults who died. "Two other people are in critical condition," he said, and "most of the children suffered light to moderate injuries." "I am grateful to the French authorities for the massive mobilization of emergency services," he said, before ending his message by offering his "condolences to all the victims' families." The passengers were mainly teenagers aged 15 to 17 who had met students from the agricultural high school.

A school trip that turns into a nightmare

The Ukrainian embassy in France reported that the bus had left Ploërmel in the morning to return to Kitsman, in western Ukraine, where the teenagers were from. "We are in contact with the victims' families. Some children have managed to contact their parents," it added.

The Ukrainian teenagers were on a "stay" in the Ploërmel region (Morbihan) and had spent two nights at the La Touche agricultural high school, the head of the school said. Visiting Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône), Prime Minister François Bayrou said he was "thinking of the victims of the terrible bus accident that occurred in Sarthe." "We will do what is necessary to clarify the circumstances of this accident," he added. On the Instagram account of the Ukrainian high school where the victims attended, photos show them exploring the island of Rhuys (Morbihan), Paris, and also on the bus, smiling and carefree.

Led by Emmanuel Aubry, a Departmental Operations Center (COD) has been opened, with the Degré multipurpose hall as its focal point, according to the town hall of this commune of some 800 inhabitants. According to the Sarthe Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS), 103 firefighters and 58 fire engines from their service responded to the bus and its passengers.

Tribute mass on the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit

The bodies of the four deceased were taken to the Angers Forensic Institute, a source within the gendarmerie said. "On Sunday, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit, a mass will be celebrated for them, as well as for the victims of the 1955 race," during which 82 people were killed when a car hit a spectator stand, Bishop Vuillemin announced in a statement.

The victims were treated at four hospitals in the region, including Le Mans, which triggered a crisis response plan. At the Angers University Hospital, a "hospital crisis unit" was opened "to coordinate the care of accident victims" at 1 p.m., according to a statement from the hospital. Those "minorly injured or involved" in the accident are being treated in the Degré community hall. "There is water, brioches, and fruit" for the "29 people inside" the hall, said Degré's first deputy mayor, Céline Bouteloup.