UK

15-year-old girl killed in school bus crash named

The 15-year-old girl killed in a school bus crash on the M53 in the Wirral has been named as Jessica Baker.

The driver of the bus also died in Friday morning’s incident but has not yet been publicly identified.

A total of 54 people were on board – with many assessed at the scene near Hooton.

Fifty children were taken to a casualty centre at the emergency services training centre in Wallasey. Thirty-nine were later discharged and the rest taken to hospital for more treatment.

A further two people were taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital with serious injuries.

Calday Grange all-boys grammar school and West Kirby all-girls grammar school said one of its school buses was involved.

Police said children from both schools were on buses that were travelling in convoy with the vehicle that crashed.

All those involved will be offered trauma support and family liaison officers are supporting relatives.

Firefighters helped people off the overturned bus, said Mark Thomas from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.

Emergency services at the scene of a coach crash on the M53 motorway, between junction 5 at Ellesmere Port and junction 4 at Bebbington. The coach was carrying schoolchildren to Calday Grange Grammar School and West Kirby Grammar School for Girls. Picture date: Friday September 29, 2023.
Image:
The crash happened between junction 5 at Ellesmere Port and junction 4 at Bebbington

A map showing the crash site

Emergency services declared a major incident due to the risk of multiple serious injuries in the crash, which happened just after 8pm.

“We sent a substantial number of ambulances, senior clinicians and our hazardous area response teams,” said Joanne Clague, director for the North West Ambulance Service.

“A critical care doctor was also dispatched to the scene.”

According to Calday Grange’s website, the W3 bus route starts in the Chester suburb of Bache, making stops in Little Sutton, before joining the M53 on its route to West Kirby.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Articles You May Like

Ukraine fires UK-supplied missiles at targets inside Russia
Ørsted’s largest solar farm in the world is now online in Texas
Actor Jussie Smollett has conviction for faking attack overturned
What to know about the significant changes to PGA Tour eligibility
UK on ‘slippery slope’ to ‘death on demand’, justice secretary warns ahead of assisted dying vote