What Happened

At approximately 8:00 a.m. local time on May 26, 2026, a school minibus carrying seven children, a 49-year-old driver, and a 27-year-old chaperone was struck by a commuter train at a level crossing in Buggenhout, a small town in northern Belgium's Flanders region.

According to federal police spokeswoman An Berger, the minibus had been traveling parallel to the rail line and then turned left onto the crossing after the barrier was already down and a red warning light was active.

The train hit the minibus at approximately 75 miles per hour.

The Dead and the Injured

Four people were killed: the 49-year-old driver, the 27-year-old chaperone, and two children aged 12 and 15, according to BBC News.

Five other children remain hospitalized. Their condition is described as critical but stable, according to public prosecutor's spokeswoman cited by BBC News.

Nobody on the train was injured, though one passenger was treated for shock, according to An Berger.

The Impact

Frédéric Sacre, spokesman for Belgium's national rail infrastructure agency Infrabel, told AFP that "the impact was extremely violent." The minibus was thrown approximately 50 feet into a metal pylon before coming to rest on its side in the driveway of a nearby home, according to CBS News.

A vehicle carrying children going to school — a special education school, specifically — was launched 50 feet through the air by a train doing highway speeds.

What the Evidence Shows About Fault

CNN's headline said the bus appeared to "plow through" the barrier. Belgian Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke confirmed to BBC News that the barriers were already down when the crash occurred. Sacre told AFP that video evidence confirmed the road barriers were closed and a red light was showing at the time of impact.

The safety systems were working.

Federal police spokeswoman Berger was explicit: the driver turned left onto the crossing while the barrier was down. An investigation has been launched, according to the public prosecutor's spokeswoman.

Investigators will need to determine why the driver made that turn.

Political Reaction

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot confirmed the death toll on X, writing: "A tragic collision between a train and a school bus took place in Buggenhout this morning. Four people have been killed, including two children."

Prime Minister Bart De Wever said he was "deeply moved by the horrific accident" and extended thoughts to affected families, according to CBS News.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called herself "heartbroken," posting that "Today, Europe grieves with Belgium."

Flemish Education Minister Zuhal Demir called it "heartbreaking news" on social media, according to BBC News.

Outstanding Questions

Every outlet covered the tragedy. Fewer outlets are pursuing the harder follow-up questions.

This minibus was transporting children with special needs to school — a particularly vulnerable population. The adult responsible for their safety drove through a closed barrier with warning lights active.

CNN's framing — "appearing to plow through" — softens what the evidence shows. Belgian authorities have video. The barriers were down. The driver turned anyway.

The investigation is open. The driver is dead. But whoever authorized, managed, or oversaw the transport of these children has questions to answer.

There's also a structural question: Are Belgium's level crossing systems adequately designed to prevent vehicles from bypassing lowered barriers? Physical bollards, not just painted barriers, exist for exactly this reason.

Closing

Seven children got on a minibus Tuesday morning headed to school. Two of them won't come home. Five are fighting in hospitals. Somebody failed to heed the safety systems that were in place.

The investigation will determine what exactly happened in those final seconds before that left turn. The families of those kids deserve every answer.