The telephone calls to homes in Heverlee had already started, telling of
disaster in an Alpine tunnel near the Swiss
town of Sierre – how the third coach, with 52 people on board, had
unaccountably slammed into the side of the Tunnel de Geronde at high speed,
its front disintegrating in an instant. Twenty-eight people lay dead in the
wreckage following the crash at 9pm on Tuesday night, 22 of them children.
Eight of the dead youngsters were thought to be from Sint Lambertus, and
double that number from another Roman Catholic school, the Stekske school in
the town of Lommel, near Antwerp. The pupils from the two schools travelling
on the coach included 10 Dutch nationals, one from Germany and one from
Poland.
“This is a black day for our country,” said Elio Di Rupo, prime
minister of Belgium, who joined King Albert and Queen Paola in offering
comfort to the bereaved. A national day of mourning was declared, and a
minute’s silence observed in parliament.
Survivors, some critically injured, had to be cut free by rescuers, while
others escaped unscathed. For much of yesterday parents had to endure a
waiting game, as preparations were made to fly them to Switzerland in
Belgian military aircraft. For some, uncertainty was followed swiftly by
relief, as calls were received from shocked children. For others, there was
silence.
“We simply do not know if our son is alive or dead,” said one parent
at St Lambertus. “The authorities cannot tell us anything. The
uncertainty is unbearable. Quite unbearable. I cannot tell you how awful
this is.”
He remained behind with his second child while his wife set off for
Switzerland.
A 12-year-old boy who suffered two broken legs in the crash was able to phone
his father.
“It was dark,” he said. “I heard a great shock. All the seats
were gone. I found myself wedged between two seats.”
Alex Pues feared that his 11-year-old daughter, Sarah, was among the dead. He
and his wife received a call at 4am on Wednesday from Swiss police,
informing them that their daughter had been involved in a fatal road
accident.
“We went to hell and back,” said Mr Pues. “It was absolutely
horrendous. The feeling was something I would not wish on my worst enemy.
Neither of us ever wish to recall those hours ever again.”
The couple were later informed that their daughter had survived.
“She suffered two broken legs, a broken arm and head injuries, but she is
alive and that is what matters,” said Mr Pues. “The relief is
enormous. Looking at the photos of the crashed coach makes you wonder how
anyone actually survived it.”
The skiing holiday was an annual event, a rite of passage for pupils preparing
for secondary school. The blog helped to re-assure parents who had watched
their children set off on their first holiday abroad without them.
“The bus trip was very smooth,” wrote Mr Van Kerckhove of the
outward journey. “There was little traffic. We watched the movie
Avatar. No-one became car sick.”
The postings on the blog recorded a week of happy adventures, but as the time
to return home neared there were glimmers of homesickness, of wanting to be
back in familiar surroundings.
“Dear mama and papa,” wrote one boy. “I like it here a lot but
I miss you. Love you. Kisses.” Hopefully, he made it home.
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