Children left with ‘life-changing’ injuries after horror crash between truck and bus in Australia

The bus had only just left Exford Primary School and was 900m away when it collided with a truck and overturned

Investigators work at the scene of a bus crash near in Melbourne, Wednesday, May 17, 2023. (AAP IMAGE)

A group of children have suffered “life-changing” injuries after the bus they were travelling in crashed in Australia’s Melbourne.

The horrific crash took place when the primary school children were going home from school on Tuesday afternoon.

The bus with 45 students on board collided with a truck and rolled over, authorities said.

The bus had only just left Exford Primary School and was 900m away when the incident occurred, reported 9News.

The crash left seven children aged between five and 11 with life-changing injuries, including amputations, while 11 other children were also taken to the hospital.

Royal Children’s Hospital’s chief executive officer Bernadette McDonald said: “The children have suffered multiple and traumatic injuries, including partial and complete amputations of arms, multiple crushed limb injuries, severe lacerations to head and body, head injuries.”

Seven children are still at the Royal Children’s Hospital, all of whom are in a stable condition.

Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Cruse said: “Some of the injuries are truly life-changing - and this incident was avoidable, as are so many of the incidents that police and emergency services attend to.”

He also said that the actions of the passersby were “heroic”.

Teachers and passersby rushed to help the children when the crash took place. The driver of the bus who was injured himself also helped pull out children from the overturned bus.

“To have acted the way they did is really admirable,” he said.

“It was a horrific scene and it was really chaotic.”

Exford Primary School principal Liza Campo said most teachers rushed to the crash site to help while others stayed back at the shool to be with the other children.

“Our staff just instinctively wrapped their arms around the kids and provided love and support in a really difficult situation,” she said.

Police said that the driver who suffered non-life threatening has since been charged with four counts of dangerous driving.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese offered his condolences to the families of the children who were injured in the crash.

In a video statement he said: “My heart breaks for the young students affected by the terrible crash in Melbourne.

“Australians are thinking of these brave children and their families. We give thanks for the medical professionals and emergency services personnel who were there for them at such a difficult time.”