BELGIUM: Deputy mayor of Belgian city of Lommel announces the return of some children injured in the bus crash in Switzerland, but there are no bodies yet
Record ID:
382790
BELGIUM: Deputy mayor of Belgian city of Lommel announces the return of some children injured in the bus crash in Switzerland, but there are no bodies yet
- Title: BELGIUM: Deputy mayor of Belgian city of Lommel announces the return of some children injured in the bus crash in Switzerland, but there are no bodies yet
- Date: 16th March 2012
- Summary: LOMMEL, BELGIUM (MARCH 15, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CITY HALL POLICEMEN IN FRONT OF CITY HALL DEPUTY MAYOR OF LOMMEL KRIS VERDUYNNKT ARRIVING TO GIVE NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEPUTY MAYOR OF LOMMEL KRIS VERDUYNKT SAYING: "We know that today there will be probably one plane with people that are -- let's say that are not seriously injured -- will come back with their parents to Belgium." CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEPUTY MAYOR OF LOMMEL KRIS VERDUYNKT SAYING: "What concerning the bodies of the dead people, that will take probably some longer time, because the government of Switzerland has to give the bodies free. The only thing we know that not before three o'clock this afternoon there will be, because there are some things going on now, but probably after three o'clock this afternoon there will be a plane coming towards Belgium." CAMERAMEN
- Embargoed: 31st March 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Belgium, Belgium
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Accidents
- Reuters ID: LVAB4LBRTXW2QXDVDL4W8YXJTFVX
- Story Text: Some of the children injured in the Swiss bus crash will return to Belgium today, the deputy mayor of Lommel Dirk Verduynkt said at a news conference on Thursday(March 15) that only the children with non-life threathening injuries would travel home.
A bus carrying 52 people crashed while returning from a school-organised ski holiday late on Tuesday in Switzerland. 28 people were killed, including 22 children. 22 of the children came from the primary school 't Stekse in Lommel, of whom 15 died.
"We know that today there will be probably one plane with people that are let's say not seriously injured will come back with their parents to Belgium," Verduynkt said.
Of the 24 injured children, most were hospitalised with various bone fractures. Some also suffer from more serious injuries and two children are in a coma.
The Belgium government has said the bodies of the dead children will be returned by two military planes. Verduynkt said it would take a few more days before all the official procedures were concluded to start the repatriation.
"What concerning the bodies of the dead people, that will take probably some longer time, because the government of Switzerland has to give the bodies free. The only thing we know that not before three o'clock this afternoon there will be, because there are some things going on now, but probably after three o'clock this afternoon there will be a plane coming towards Belgium," Verduynkt said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None