11 injured in church bus crash

Authorities say a church bus collided with another vehicle in Tennessee, sending at least 11 people to the hospital.

All of the 11 injured were children; two remain critical.

Clay County Sheriff Terry Miller said the crash happened around 1 p.m. on Highway 67 near Highway 328.

The van was carrying members of a Union City, Tennessee, church to Doniphan, Missouri, for a float trip on the Current River when it collided with a commercial vehicle carrying fish, Miller said.

He said two of the church bus passengers were airlifted to hospitals in Memphis, while the others were taken to hospitals with either minor injuries or to be evaluated.

“Apparently [the bus] was struck by another vehicle that caused the bus to veer off the road,” Miller said.

Corning is near Arkansas’ border with Missouri and about 30 miles north of Paragould.

A church representative told The Christian Post: “Right now the only thing that we are releasing is that we are thanking everyone for their thoughts and prayers concerning the accident. We appreciate the outpouring of love and support but we do ask that they respect the privacy and rights of the families involved as they heal and recover.”

The accident took place just hours before another crash happened in neighbouring state Alabama that left nine children and one adult killed, eight of which were from the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, a Christian foster home. The children, believed to be between eight and 17 years old, were in a bus returning from a week’s holiday in Gulf springs. Two remaining victims, one adult and his nine-month-old baby, died in a separate car.

In a statement, the Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches, which manages the Christian foster home, said: “Our hearts are so heavy today. Our Ranch family has suffered a great loss.

“This morning, I have been thinking about how we do not always understand the reason things happen. However, we will continue to hold on to our God for peace and comfort as our hearts continue to break. Please continue to pray for us as we navigate this difficult time.”