A bus carrying passengers has plunged into France’s River Seine after colliding with a parked car.
A trainee driver was behind the wheel and is said to have made a handling error, according to local media.
There were four people on board, including the instructor and two passengers, when the incident happened at 9.30am local time (8.30am BST).
All were rescued, with passers-by rushing to their aid.
The bus dragged the parked car into the river near Juvisy, a commune eight kilometres southeast of Paris. The car was unoccupied at the time, according to reports.
Later in the morning, the bus could still be seen floating in the Seine, close to the riverbank.
According to eyewitness accounts, several members of a rowing club were out on the Seine when they saw the bus plunge into the water.
A bus carrying passengers has plunged into France’s River Seine near the town of Juvisy following a collision with another vehicle
Divers were seen walking along the bus which had sunk to the bottom of the river
Pictured: A car and a bus can be seen in the water as rescue teams work at the scene
They were the first to rescue those who had fallen into the water.
‘The bus was leaving the bus station when the driver lost control and hit a parked car,’ explained the mayor of Juvisy-sur-Orge, Lamia Bensarsa Reda.
Reda said she was ‘stunned’ by the accident.
‘It’s the first time I’ve seen anything like this. I think I’ve just experienced the worst day of my life.
‘Luckily, there were no casualties thanks to the quick response of the police and emergency services,’ she said.
Images show emergency crews including a fire engine, rescue boats and a helicopter at the scene.
According to a police source, the driver did have a D license, which is required to drive such a vehicle.
There were four people on board, including the driver’s instructor and two passengers, when the incident happened at 9.30am local time (8.30am BST)
One source said: ‘Two boats are patrolling the water to ensure that no one else needs rescuing.’
An investigation is expected to be launched to determine exact cause of the incident as quickly as possible.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.
