16 hours ago
Hero electrician tells of how he and another man rushed to pull schoolchildren who 'thought they were going to die' from bus after it crashed into river
A hero electrician has revealed how he and another man heroically rescued screaming children from a crashed bus, lying in a river, as 17 passengers were injured.
Terrifying footage from inside a Bluestar 607 emerged showing students clinging to seats on the top deck as the bus zoomed at a horrifying speed on Thursday.
During the ordeal, the teens voices became increasingly panicked as they shouted: 'We're gonna die. We're actually gonna die... We're actually going to die!'
They claimed the bus has just had a 'major crash and now he's speeding off', while the front window appears to have been smashed.
Of the 20 passengers, 17 were injured after the bus fell off the road and ended up in the water in Eastleigh, Hampshire, with footage showing how it was left the street.
Five people including the bus driver were taken to hospital for treatment with two of them in 'serious but not life-threatening' condition after the incident at about 10am.
Local electrician Bruno Aguiar, who was on his way to work when his van was almost driven off the road by the bus, has told of the moment he rushed to help.
'I saw the bus coming really fast. I swerved to the pavement, and the bus came into the middle of both lanes,' he said: 'It hit a red Corsa from a driving school and then went into the river.
They claim the bus has just had a 'major crash and now he's speeding off', while the front window appears to have been smashed. One woman on the scene said the driver told her the bus's accelerator pedal had jammed and the brakes had failed
One boy clung onto the seat in front as the bus careered along. Sitting on the back row, he braced himself against the seat in front
'I went to check on the driver, and he was asking for an ambulance. I saw [the bus] was full of children.'
Quick to take action, Bruno pulled the ladder from his van, and with the help of a man wearing a Bluestar uniform, believed to be a passerby, helped the students to safety.
'I went to get the ladder off my van and helped the children get off the bus,' Bruno added. 'There were no adults except the bus driver on the bus.
'I wasn't thinking clearly. The children were all panicked. A child doesn't think; they wait for help,' he added: 'I think it was a miracle nobody was more seriously injured.'
A woman, who was at the scene claimed the driver said the bus's accelerator pedal had jammed and the brakes had failed - aligning with the theory that the bus clipped another vehicle and then did not slow down as it careered along the road.
Fire crews were seen with stretchers on hand to take people off the bus which was carrying passengers from Barton Peveril Sixth Form College in the town.
Local resident Kelly West was working from home at the time and ran outside when she heard screeching and saw the bus 'come careering into the river'.
She told BBC News that she spoke to the driver who told her that the 'brakes were not working' and 'the accelerator jammed' and he was 'doing the best he could to avoid cars as he was coming down the road'.
At least five ambulances were at the scene on the residential Bishopstoke Road and an air ambulance landed near the crash site, which was cordoned off by police.
The father of one of the passengers said his 17-year-old son thought the crash happened quickly and could not see what caused the incident.
Scott Agass said: 'We are just waiting for our son who was onboard. They are not in the bus at the moment, I think they are all out. He said he was sitting there with a blanket and a monitor on his finger.
'He doesn't really know what happened or what caused it. I suppose it just happened so quick. All he saw was that it crashed and gone in the river.'
Local resident Jonathan Holdstock said: 'It was half ten when I heard a bunch of sirens. When I heard it was a bus in the river I didn't believe it.'
Keith Trenchard, from Eastleigh, had been out with his family when he came across the scene.
He said: 'We arrived 20 minutes after and it was all closed off. They have the divers here as well from the police and the fire brigade.'
Inspector Andy Tester, of Hampshire Constabulary, said a total of 20 people were onboard the bus, 19 of which were passengers.
He said: 'It must have been terrifying and my thoughts are very much with what the children and the driver on the bus, who must have had a terrifying experience.'
Mr Tester added that several people including the driver were trapped on board when emergency services arrived.
He said: 'There were a large number of specialist resources helping to get people out of the bus.
'Some people had got themselves out of the bus, and it was obviously important to us to triage the injured people, to assess the people who were still stuck in the bus, and to make sure we had accounted for everyone.'
Mr Tester also praised the bravery of members of the public and emergency services who helped at the scene.
He said: 'So there was a lot of bravery shown by many people who were first on scene, who didn't have training to work in water and weren't equipped, but quickly backed up by our fire and ambulance colleagues who did have the right training to make it safe and make it a safe working environment.'
Mr Tester added: 'We believe that everyone, every passenger on the bus, was a student heading to Barton Peveril College.
'And I would stress at this point that all of those, all all of those people, their families, have been notified, and that has all been done so they are in touch with their loved ones.'
He continued: 'There's no indication at the moment as to why the bus left the road, and that is what's going to form part of our immediate investigation.
'We hope to open the road within 12 hours. That is our best hope.
'We will do the best we can to shorten that but, as you'll appreciate, we have to do a thorough examination of the scene, and then there's a complex recovery of getting the bus out of the river.'
A spokesperson for South Central Ambulance Service said: 'We have sent multiple units to the incident including five ambulances, two helicopters, and specialist response units.
'We're continuing to support and assess patients on scene. All patients have been removed from the bus. Three high priority patients are being taken to hospital. Around 14 with less serious injuries are being treated on scene.'
A spokesperson for Barton Peveril Sixth Form College has said: 'We are aware of an incident involving the College 607 Bus. College staff are working closely with the police to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.
'We ask that people do not attend the actual scene. For concerned parents, an Incident Centre has been established at The Hub at Bishopstoke.
'An officer and college staff will be available at the Hub to provide updates and address any questions you may have.'
A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: 'We are currently dealing with an incident on Bishopstoke Road in Eastleigh, after College Bus 607 for Barton Peveril students left the carriageway into a river.
'Emergency services are in attendance and the road has been closed so please avoid the area.
'It is anticipated the road may be closed for up to 12 hours for investigation and recovery work.
'Everyone on the bus has been accounted for and all injured persons are being treated by the ambulance service.'
A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: 'We are on scene of an RTC involving one double decker bus that went off the road in Bishopstoke, Eastleigh.
'Fire crews from Eastleigh, St Mary's, Redbridge, Hightown and Portchester are in attendance alongside emergency service colleagues.
'People are asked to avoid the area to help emergency services deal with this incident.'
Richard Tyldsley, Bluestar general manager, said: 'One of our buses, carrying students to Barton Peveril College, was involved in an incident earlier this morning in Bishopstoke Road, Eastleigh.
'Reports suggest the bus left the highway and came to rest in a shallow river.
'There were 19 passengers on-board at the time. Our driver and at least two of the passengers have confirmed injuries, and we are awaiting further updates on the status of others on-board.
'We do not currently have full details of their injuries and are following their progress closely.
'Our thoughts are with everybody involved, and we wish those who were injured a full and speedy recovery.
'At this time, we do not know the circumstances behind this incident and are carrying out an immediate investigation. We are also assisting the police as they carry out their own inquiries.'
