French bus carrying school children crashes, killing 2

A bus carrying school children in eastern France crashed on Friday morning, French media reported.

At least two people were killed, a child and a young adult, and 16 others were injured in the incident.

French broadcaster BFMTV reported that the incident happened close to the town of Lent in the department of Ain and that two people were seriously injured.

What do we know so far about the bus crash in France?

Lent Mayor Yves Cristin said the bus went off the road and crashed into a tree in a ditch around 7 a.m. (0600 GMT).

He added that 70 people were involved in the incident and the local community hall had been opened up to shelter the victims of the crash.

"This is an absolute tragedy that has struck our community," Cristin told BFMTV. "The accident occurred in a location on the road where there are no major difficulties."

"The road was slightly damp, and we don't understand why the bus left its lane, crossed the road, and ended up in the opposite ditch," he added.

"Unfortunately, there was a tree in its path, and it was this tree that made the accident so tragic."