France: two dead and 16 injured as bus crashes near Bourg-en-Bresse

Two people died and 16 were injured in a bus crash in Lent, eastern France, in the Ain department. It happened on Friday 6 November 2026, at around 7am, south of Bourg-en-Bresse.

What we know about the crash

According to local officials, the bus left the road, went into a ditch and hit a tree. The mayor of Bourg-en-Bresse, Jean-Francois Debat, said the whole left side of the vehicle was badly damaged.

The prefecture first said the two dead were minors. The prosecutor's office in Bourg-en-Bresse later corrected this: the victims are one minor and one young adult.

Of the 16 injured, three are in a serious condition and 13 have lighter injuries. According to Polish media citing French sources, 43 people were on the bus, including 15 minors. Two rescue helicopters were involved in the response.

School bus or regular service

Early reports spoke of a school bus. Education minister Edouard Geffray confirmed this. The local prefecture, however, described the vehicle as an intercity bus. According to the daily La Voix de l'Ain it ran between Dompierre-sur-Veyle and Bourg-en-Bresse, and broadcaster BFMTV reported that pupils used it to travel.

Cause unknown

The circumstances of the crash have not been established. The mayor of Lent, Yves Cristin, said it was unclear why the bus left the road. The driver is in hospital and prosecutors have not yet been able to question him. French transport minister Philippe Tabarot travelled to the scene.

BBC News reported that a child and a young adult were killed and others injured, citing local authorities.

The sources available do not mention any foreign nationals among those hurt, including Polish or British citizens.