At least four people, including two teenagers, were killed when a train collided with a school minibus near the town of Buggenhout, about 23 kilometers from Brussels, on Tuesday morning, Belgian officials said.

The victims also included the bus driver and an adult accompanying the children, according to RTL TV citing Transport Minister Jean-Luc Crucke. Two other people were severely injured in the accident.

Security cameras showed the crossing barriers were down, confirmed by railway infrastructure operator Infrabel. Police spokesman Frederic Sacre described the impact as "extremely violent" and the toll as "dramatic."

The crash occurred at around 8:08 am local time. The train was due to stop at the next station, about a kilometer away.

Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed condolences. Belgium has a dense railway network and has seen several level crossing accidents in recent years. Last year, five people died in such incidents, the lowest since 2020, according to Infrabel.

Source: www.dw.com