Two teenagers are among four people killed after a train collided with a school bus in Belgium on Tuesday, the country’s transport minister has said.
In comments reported by RTL, minister Jean-Luc Crucke said that the two teenagers, the bus drivers and another adult were killed when the train collided with the vehicle in the town of Buggenhout.
"My first thoughts are with the victims, but also with those who were injured and their families,” he said.
Railway operator Infrabel said the lights at the level crossing were red and the barriers were down at the time of the collision.
“We are trying to understand how this could have happened,” they said. “But our thoughts are now first and foremost with the victims and their families.”
Belgium’s interior minister offered condolences to the victims in a post on X.
“With great dismay, I learned of the tragic accident in Buggenhout, where a school bus was struck by a train,” he wrote.
Key points
- Several people killed in train crash in Belgium
- The lights at the level crossing were red and the barriers were down
- Transport minister says four people were killed in the crash
- Five children injured and four people dead
Pictured: Scene of the crash that killed four, including two children
14:33 , Rebecca Whittaker
Train driver was traveling 90km an hour
14:27 , Rebecca Whittaker
The train company Infrabel said the train driver was traveling at 90 kilometers per hour at the time of the accident.
Because the train was approaching a railway station it was already beginning to slow down when the minibus went onto the tracks.
According to Infrabel the driver did apply the emergency brake, but he could not avoid the accident.
Minibus driver was experienced and 'knew his route', bus and tram company said
14:15 , Rebecca Whittaker
The company responsible for public bus and tram networks in the region explained the driver of the minibus was experienced and ‘knew his route”.
A spokesperson for De Lijn, Frederick Wittock, told HLN the 49-year-old would pick the children up from their homes and they were always accompanied by a supervisor.
"This is terrible for everyone, a very tragic day. We want to express our condolences to all the victims and their families,” Wittock said.
“The man had been doing this work for a very long time and undoubtedly knew his route. There is not a single trace of irregularities to be found in his file."
Cause of crash still unclear, says minister
14:00 , James Reynolds
Annick de Ridder, the Flemish Minister of Mobility, said it is still “too early to attribute responsibility” for the accident “to anyone”, per Belgian outlet Le Soir.
Investigators are working at the scene to establish the cause of the crash.
No injuries were reported on the train. Five children have been taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Forensic teams on hand with investigation underway
13:42 , James Reynolds
Buggenhout municipality says in a press release that a lab is carrying out work at the scene of the crash, and a traffic expert has been appointed with an investigation underway.
Authorities say the exact cause and circumstances are still being investigated.
The crash occurred at around 8am local time when a school bus from the special secondary education school Richtpunt was struck at a railway crossing.
Four victims identified as driver, supervisor and two children
13:30 , James Reynolds
The victims of the collision have been identified as a bus driver, a female supervisor, and two children aged 12 and 15.
The local municipality said in a press release that the four people killed were the 49-year-old driver of the van, a 27-year-old chaperone, and two children.
Five children were seriously injured in the crash and were taken to hospital in a stable condition, the statement said.
The public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into the accident. It was confirmed that the barriers were closed and the red warning signal was active at the time of the incident.
Recap: Where was the crash that left four people dead and five children injured
13:05 , Rebecca Whittaker
There have been more than 160 level crossing incidents since 2021
12:55 , Rebecca Whittaker
Train operator Infrabel highlights a wider issue with level crossing in Belgium, where a dense railway network criss-crosses towns and villages.
Since 2021, 36 people have died in 168 accidents involving level crossings, according to its website.
Belgium train crash: Emergency services at scene after school bus collides with train
12:50 , Rebecca Whittaker
Prime minister has said he is 'moved' by the incident
12:40 , Rebecca Whittaker
Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever has said he is “moved” by the “horrific accident”, in a post sharing his condolences with those affected.
Diep geraakt door het afschuwelijke ongeval in Buggenhout. Mijn gedachten gaan uit naar de getroffen families.
— Bart De Wever (@Bart_DeWever) May 26, 2026
Ages of victims involved in the crash revealed
12:35 , Rebecca Whittaker
The ages of those killed by the crash have been conformed by the public prosecutor’s office.
The two children were aged 12 and 15, the driver was 49, and the carer was 27 years old.
Five other children on the bus were badly injured and taken to hospital.
Investigators are checking footage of the incident that killed four people
12:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
A crash between a bus and a train traveling at high speed at a level crossing killed four people, including two children, and injured five other children, prosecutors said Tuesday.
The injured children were taken to the hospital in a serious condition, spokeswoman Lisa De Wilde said at a news conference.
De Wilde said that the dead included the driver of the minibus and an escort as well as two children.
She said that the cause of the accident had not been established.
Investigators are questioning witnesses and checking for images from cameras mounted nearby.
“What we do know is that the barrier was closed and the red light was on,” she said.
A spokesperson for Belgian rail operator Infrabel said that the train was estimated to be traveling at about 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour) as it approached the crossing and had “no time to brake.”
“The impact was extremely violent,” the spokesman, Frédéric Sacré, told RTBF public broadcaster.
Pictured: Forensic Police on the site of the crash
12:11 , Rebecca Whittaker
Recap: What we know about the crash in Belgium
12:01 , Rebecca Whittaker
- Four people have been killed and five children injured after a train collided with a school bus in Belgium, Buggenhout on Tuesday morning
- Two teenagers aged 12 and 15 are among those who were killed, federal prosecutors said
- The Belgium transport minister has said two teenagers, a bus driver and another adult were among the four killed
- CCTV footage shows the lights at the level crossing were red and the barriers were down at the moment of the collision
- The minister for public works, Annick De Ridder, has said it is “too early” to place blame for the accident
- There were about 100 passengers on the train, but no passengers were injured
Deputy prime minister confirms two children died in the collision
11:56 , Rebecca Whittaker
Belgium's deputy prime minister Maxime Prevot has confirmed four people died in the collision, including two children.
“I would like to thank my colleagues from other countries who have already come forward to express their solidarity, and I naturally join them in offering my condolences to the families of the victims,” he said in a post on X.
“My thoughts are with them, and also with the emergency services who had to deal with this harrowing incident.”
(EN/FR/NL) A tragic collision between a train and a school bus took place in Buggenhout this morning. Four people have been killed, including two children.
— Maxime PREVOT (@prevotmaxime) May 26, 2026
I would like to thank my colleagues from other countries who have already come forward to express their solidarity, and I…
Minister says it's 'too early' to place blame
11:45 , Rebecca Whittaker
The minister for public works, Annick De Ridder, has said it is “too early” to place blame for the accident.
Speaking to Het Laatste Nieuws, a Dutch-language newspaper in Belgium, she said it’s “too early to place responsibility on anyone”.
Watch: Emergency services at scene after school bus collides with train
11:40 , Rebecca Whittaker
Flanders president joins politicians sharing tributes
11:26 , Rebecca Whittaker
Matthias Diependaele, the Flanders president, has shared his condolences following the crash.
He wrote in a post on X: “Terrible news from Buggenhout. My thoughts go out to the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this tragedy.
“Gratitude to the emergency services who are doing everything they can on the scene.”
Vreselijk nieuws uit Buggenhout. Mijn gedachten gaan uit naar de slachtoffers, hun families en iedereen die door dit drama getroffen is. Dank aan de hulpdiensten die ter plaatse alles op alles zetten.
— Matthias Diependaele (@MDiependaele) May 26, 2026
The latest pictures from the scene
11:23 , Rebecca Whittaker
What do we know so far about the crash in Belgium?
11:16 , Rebecca Whittaker
- Four people have been killed after a train collided with a school bus in Belgium
- The crash happened in the town of Buggenhout on Tuesday morning
- The Belgium transport minister has said two teenagers, a bus driver and another adult were among the four killed
- CCTV footage shows the lights at the level crossing were red and the barriers were down at the moment of the collision
- There were about 100 passengers on the train, but no passengers were injured
'Today, Europe grieves with Belgium,' says Ursula von der Leyen
11:10 , Rebecca Whittaker
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was “heartbroken” to hear about the crash. She shared a tribute in a social media post.
She wrote in a post on X: “I was heartbroken to learn of the tragic accident between a train and a school bus in Buggenhout today.
“My deepest condolences go out to the victims’ families and their loved ones.
“Today, Europe grieves with Belgium.”
I was heartbroken to learn of the tragic accident between a train and a school bus in Buggenhout today.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 26, 2026
My deepest condolences go out to the victims’ families and their loved ones.
Today, Europe grieves with Belgium.
Minister of Education shares tribute and thanks emergency services
11:06 , Rebecca Whittaker
Flemish Minister of Education Zuhal Demir thanked the emergency services following the crash.
She wrote in a post on X: “What heartbreaking news from Buggenhout. My thoughts are with all the victims, their families, and everyone closely involved. Much strength to everyone affected by this. Thanks to the emergency services for their efforts on site.”
Wat een hartverscheurend nieuws uit Buggenhout.
— Zuhal Demir (@Zu_Demir) May 26, 2026
Mijn gedachten zijn bij alle slachtoffers, hun families en iedereen die van dichtbij betrokken is.
Veel sterkte aan iedereen die hierdoor geraakt wordt. Dank aan de hulpdiensten voor hun inzet ter plaatse.
Pictured: The latest from the site of the crash
10:59 , Rebecca Whittaker
Transport minister says four people were killed in the crash
10:56 , Rebecca Whittaker
Belgium's transport minister Jean-Luc Crucke, has confirmed four people died in the accident.
"It concerns two children, the driver of the school bus, and the chaperone," he said.
He also confirmed the level crossing was closed at the moment of the impact. "We have footage that proves that," said Crucke.
Where was the train crash in Belgium?
10:52 , Rebecca Whittaker
Minibus was on its way to a school for special education
10:49 , Rebecca Whittaker
The minibus that was involved in the crash was on its way to a school for special education, HLN reported.
The police have not released details of the victims.
“The family members are being informed personally first,” they stated. “They are currently being cared for and supported at a nearby school.”
Two teenagers among those killed in the crash
10:45 , Rebecca Whittaker
The Belgium transport minister has said two teenagers, a bus driver and another adult was killed in the train collision with a school bus.
The lights at the level crossing were red and the barriers were down
10:42 , Rebecca Whittaker
The level crossing was shut at the time of the collision, but the minibus drove out of Kerkhofstraat and onto the railway tracks, CCTV footage shows.
Railway operator Infrabel has said the lights at the level crossing were red and the barriers were down at the moment of the collision.
“We are trying to understand how this could have happened,” they said. “But our thoughts are now first and foremost with the victims and their families.”
No passengers on the train were injured
10:38 , Rebecca Whittaker
There were about 100 passengers on the train, but no passengers were injured, according to HLN news.
The passengers were evacuated by the fire brigade.
Interior minister shares tribute following the train crash
10:34 , Rebecca Whittaker
Interior minister Bernard Quintin has shared a tribute on social media, following the crash.
“With great dismay, I learned of the tragic accident in Buggenhout, where a school bus was struck by a train,” he wrote in a post on X.
“My thoughts go out to the victims and their loved ones. I wish the injured much strength. Thank our emergency services for their swift response on site.”
Met grote verslagenheid verneem ik het tragische ongeval in Buggenhout, waarbij een schoolbus werd gegrepen door een trein.
— Bernard Quintin (@BernardQuintin_) May 26, 2026
Mijn gedachten gaan uit naar de slachtoffers en hun naasten. Ik wens de gewonden veel sterkte toe.
Dank onze hulpdiensten voor hun snelle inzet ter plaatse.
Justice minister shared her sympathy with the victims of the crash
10:31 , Rebecca Whittaker
Belgium's justice minister Annelies Verlinden has shared her “heartfelt sympathy” after a school bus crashed into a train.
“My heartfelt sympathy goes out to all the victims, the children, their families, and everyone affected by this tragedy today. I wish everyone much warm closeness,” she wrote in a post on X.
“Thank you to the emergency services and the police for their swift intervention and their sustained efforts on site. The prosecutor's office is of course also continuing to follow up on this accident.”
Pictured: Authorities at the scene of the crash
10:25 , Daniel Keane
Several people killed in train crash in Belgium
10:17 , Daniel Keane
Several people have been killed after a train collided with a school bus in Belgium on Tuesday, a source told Reuters.
A source on the ground told the news agency the train had collided with the vehicle in the town of Buggenhout on Tuesday morning.
