A bus driven by a trainee plunged into the River Seine in Juvisy-sur-Orge, about 12 miles south of Paris, on Thursday after hitting a parked car and veering off the road, BBC and Reuters reported. Four people on board were pulled to safety, officials said.
More than 90 firefighters, divers and other emergency personnel — along with boats and a helicopter — responded to the scene, officials said. Transport officials told the BBC the driver was nearing the end of her practical training.
Reuters reported authorities said the bus missed a turn near the riverbank, dragged a parked car into the water and then plunged into the Seine. Images and video later released showed the bus partially submerged with some people on top while others worked in the water, Reuters reported.
A witness told Reuters it felt like “every firefighter in the department” had arrived, and bystanders initially threw life rings into the river before first responders took over, the report said. Officials said they launched an internal investigation and that drug and alcohol tests on the driver were negative.
Video showed crews using cranes to pull the submerged bus from the river as helicopters circled overhead, Reuters reported. Authorities said the cause remains under investigation and did not immediately release further details.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
