Jabbeke –
A 54-year-old woman is in danger of dying after a head-on collision with a scheduled bus in Zerkegem. There were also seven minor injuries on the bus, mainly schoolchildren. The accident happened on the Aartrijksesteenweg. “The woman had to be urgently freed from the wreckage,” said Emergency Zone I.
The accident happened around 6 p.m. on the Aartrijksesteenweg in Zerkegem, a sub-municipality of Jabbeke. A Range Rover crashed head-on into a scheduled bus with about 20 schoolchildren on board.
Found unconscious
“It was a heavy blow,” said Emergency Zone I. The car was completely destroyed. “The fire brigade was called in to free the female driver from the wreck.” The car therefore had to be opened mechanically on the driver’s side.
The 54-year-old victim from Oudenburg was found unconscious. “We had to urgently free her to stabilize her as quickly as possible,” it said. The woman’s life is still in danger. She was transferred to the AZ Sint-Jan in Bruges. (read more below the photo)
Seven people were slightly injured on the bus. — © jve
There were about 20 schoolchildren on De Lijn bus number 311 during the accident. They mainly escaped unscathed. “About 7 passengers suffered minor injuries. These were high school students. One person was taken to the AZ Damiaan in Ostend,” said Annemie Wittesaele of the Kouter police zone. The other students with injuries did not require hospitalization.
The Aartrijksesteenweg was completely closed in both directions, and will probably remain that way for several hours. The roadway was littered with debris and may need to be cleaned later this evening. “According to the initial statements, the Range Rover deviated from the lane,” said Wittesaele. “The car hit the bus with the left front and was thrown away.” It is currently not clear why the Range Rover deviated from the lane. “The public prosecutor’s office has appointed a traffic expert,” said Wittesaele.
Picked up
The bus, which drove in the direction of Jabbeke, also suffered heavy damage and was therefore unable to continue. “A colleague from Bruges drove to the scene to pick up the other commuters and transport them further,” said Annelies Meynaerts, spokesperson for De Lijn.