At least seven students have been seriously injured after a truck and a school bus collided in Australia.
One of the students required a complete amputation after the crash, which was about 30 miles west of central Melbourne.
The truck hit the back of the bus, which was carrying 45 children back to their primary school after an athletics event.
The bus overturned, leaving a number of children trapped inside.
Firefighters had to enter the bus through the skylight on the roof, before using the smashed windscreen as the main emergency exit.
Eighteen children were initially taken to hospital after the crash, with seven of them still being treated on Wednesday.
Many of them are now facing a long recovery with life-changing injuries.
Pic: AP
Bernadette McDonald, chief executive of the Royal Children’s Hospital, said that one child had a complete amputation while others had partial amputations of their arms after being crushed.
She 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, glass shard injuries.
“And three patients are currently receiving spinal support and being monitored carefully in terms of spinal injuries.”
She praised the doctors, nurses and surgeons who had treated the children, saying: “I could not get people to go home last night – they were wanting to stay and help in any way possible.”
Pic: AP
The bus driver, 52, was taken to hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
The 49-year-old truck driver has been charged with four counts of dangerous driving causing serious injury, Victoria Police said.
He will appear in court in Melbourne on Wednesday.
