Field trip ends in serious crash for SRSS students

A female driver was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash Wednesday afternoon at the intersection of highways 52 and 59.

According to St. Pierre RCMP, they were called to the crash at approximately 2:20 pm. The collision involved a vehicle and a school bus from Hanover School Division.

Police say the school bus was heading south and the driver was attempting to make a left-hand turn onto Highway 52 when it was struck by the northbound vehicle.

According to RCMP, the driver of the vehicle, a 19-year-old female, was taken to Health Sciences Centre by STARS with serious injuries. 

Following the crash, students were posting messages on social media. One post read, "We just crashed into a car it hurt so bad."

Hanover Fire Chief Paul Wiebe says the intersection is closed and will not reopen for some time yet. 

"We do not know when it will be reopened," says Wiebe. "But if commuters could just avoid the area, it would make the people on the ground, make their jobs a lot easier."

He notes traffic is being detoured along municipal gravel roads. 

Hanover School Division has provided a statement, indicating the bus was on its way back to Steinbach Regional Secondary School, following a field trip. In addition to the driver, there were 18 students and one teacher on the bus.

The division says all students were immediately triaged by EMS personnel. As a precaution, six students and the bus driver were transported to hospitals for further examination. After being triaged, a recovery bus transported the remaining students back to SRSS. Parents/caregivers of those involved were notified.