Children badly hurt in Praslin bus accident |26 June 2010

The accident occurred at 2.15pm at Fond B’Offay when a Praslin Transport Corporation (PTC) bus -- which was carrying 42 children from Grand Anse secondary school to Baie Ste Anne -- overturned and went off the road trying to avoid a collision with another vehicle, which had tipped over from another accident.

The children were taken to the Baie Ste Anne Praslin hospital, where four were hospitalised, and 13 were treated and released.

At the time of going to press, 23 children had been flown to Mahé with their immediate families and taken to Victoria hospital for treatment. Thirteen were in serious or critical condition.

Minister for Home Affairs, Environment and Transport Joël Morgan and Minister for Health Erna Athanasius went to Praslin immediately after the accident to coordinate rescue efforts.

“The situation is quite bad. We are doing all we can,” said Mr Morgan from Baie Ste Anne hospital, from where the two ministers monitored the situation and consoled parents, personally passing on President James Michel’s sympathies to them.

Constable Beguitta Brioche of Baie St Anne said some children were apparently rescued from under the bus.
Meanwhile the President has expressed his shock and regret following the accident.

“The community of Praslin is in deep shock following this sad accident. I join in prayer with the families and friends on Praslin as well as the people of Seychelles for the swift recovery of the injured children,” said President Michel.

“Every effort is being made to attend to the immediate needs of the children, and many have already been flown to Mahé for treatment,” he added.