France bus crash: Six teenagers killed in Rochefort Published duration 11 February 2016

image copyright AFP image caption A metal part of a truck sliced through the side of the bus, according to initial reports

Six teenagers have died after part of a lorry became detached and crashed into a school bus in western France.

The freak accident took place in the centre of the town of Rochefort in Charente-Maritime, at 07:15 local time (06:15 GMT) on Thursday.

Those killed were aged between 16 and 18, according to French media. The bus was travelling from the Ile d'Oleron to Surgeres.

It comes one day after a bus crash in eastern France killed two children.

A boy aged 12 and a girl of 15 died on Wednesday when the driver lost control in snowy conditions near Montflovin in the department of Doubs.

As well as the six school pupils killed in Thursday's crash, a further three people were injured.

Local authorities have set up an emergency number for concerned relatives to call: 0811 000 617.

Family members of the victims have arrived at the scene.

Both drivers have been taken in for questioning, according to regional news site Sud Ouest

image copyright AFP image caption The collision took place in the centre of the western town of Rochefort

image copyright AFP image caption The six passengers killed were all teenagers

image copyright AFP image caption This heavy goods vehicle was involved in the incident

French President Francois Hollande tweeted about his emotion at hearing of Thursday's accident, and sent his condolences to the bereaved.

Prosecutor Isabelle Pagenelle told French news site 20 minutes the vehicle concerned was "a dump truck whose side gate opened - for a reason unknown to us at this time as technical investigations are underway - and clipped the side of the bus coming the other way."

The children who were on that side of the bus died, she said.

The teenagers who were sitting on the other side of the bus walked uninjured from the incident, reports say.

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