Bus Carrying Students Crashes Near Lent, Killing Two in France

A bus operated by the regional authority crashed around 7 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, near Lent in France's Ain department, about 55 km from the Swiss border. A 7-year-old girl and an 18-year-old died. At least 16 others were injured. The bus was traveling between Lyon and Bourg-en-Bresse when it left the road, struck a tree and landed in a ditch. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot visited the scene and spoke to AP. Mayor Yves Cristin told Franceinfo the road was a little wet, there was no fog, and it was not clear why the bus veered off. The prefecture said 102 firefighters, four aircraft and eight ground-based emergency medical teams responded. Lent opened its community hall for those affected. The Bourg-en-Bresse prosecutor's office said the bus carried 43 passengers including 15 children and opened an investigation on suspicion of road homicide and aggravated road traffic injuries. Tabarot said the bus was transporting about 15 students and other passengers. Officials put three people in critical condition; BFMTV reported four adults in critical condition. The driver was hospitalized with injuries and had not been questioned. Education Minister Édouard Geffray and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu expressed condolences to the victims' families. The cause remains under investigation.