A bus with passengers onboard veered into a major river in France due to an error made by a trainee driver. The incident occurred this morning at around 8:30am UK time when the bus struck a parked car, causing both vehicles to plunge into the River Seine. The bus was carrying four individuals, including the driver, an instructor, and two passengers. Fortunately, no one was inside the parked car at the time.
The bus ended up sinking rapidly near the Draveil bridge close to the Quai Jean-Pierre Timbaud, as reported by local sources. A team of divers promptly responded to the scene and successfully rescued all four passengers from the bus before it completely submerged.
Witnesses observed the bus fully submerged in water, with a dark blue car floating nearby. Divers thoroughly searched the bus and confirmed that there were no individuals trapped inside.
Lamia Bensarsa Reda, the mayor of Juvisy, expressed shock over the incident, describing it as the “worst day” of her life. She commended the swift actions of the police and emergency services for averting any casualties. Reda also mentioned that municipal police were managing the heavy traffic congestion around the Seine riverbanks.
An internal investigation is set to be initiated by Île-de-France Mobilités to ascertain the causes of the accident promptly. Efforts to retrieve both the car and the bus from the water are scheduled to take place later today.
