Several teenagers sustained significant injuries when a school bus driver lost control while attempting to overtake another vehicle in icy conditions on a rural Manitoba highway on Tuesday, as per RCMP reports. The incident occurred on Highway 10, just over 10 kilometers south of Mafeking, Man., prompting emergency services to respond around 8:30 a.m. CT.
Rob Tomlinson, the superintendent of the Swan Valley School Division, expressed relief that there were no fatalities, describing the bus as severely damaged. A forensic collision investigation is ongoing, indicating that the bus driver was traveling southbound on Highway 10 and crashed while trying to pass another bus.
Of the individuals injured, including three teenagers and one adult, four were airlifted to a Winnipeg hospital with significant but non-life-threatening injuries. The injured were distributed between the Children’s Hospital and an adult emergency facility, while additional students received medical attention at the Swan Valley Health Centre in Swan River.
The bus involved had 15 occupants, comprising the driver and 14 students aged 16 to 18 from Sapotaweyak Cree First Nation, en route to Swan Valley Regional Secondary School and the Northern Lights Institute of Trades and Technology. Weather conditions on the day of the crash led to icy roadways, with temperatures dropping to around -3°C following light precipitation the previous day.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew reached out to Chief Genaille after the harrowing incident, offering support and emphasizing the need to understand the circumstances before proposing solutions like mandatory seatbelt use on school buses. The Opposition Progressive Conservatives had previously introduced a bill advocating for seatbelt use on new Manitoba school buses in December.
The incident prompted a code orange alert at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, subsequently stood down, as authorities prepared to handle potential large-scale incidents. Shared Health acknowledged the emotional impact of the event on those involved and maintained heightened readiness at the Swan Valley Health Centre for the affected individuals.
The community response included the Swan Valley School Division dispatching counselors and support personnel to aid families and students, with the Elbert Chartrand Friendship Centre offering a space for families to gather. The collaborative efforts aimed to provide emotional and practical support during this challenging time following the tragic bus crash.