A double-decker school bus carrying more than 60 passengers has crashed in county Down.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) has declared it a “major incident”.
Police and emergency services are currently at the scene at Ballyblack Road East in Newtownards.
The double-decker bus was carrying more that 60 passengers, and the NIAS said “43 school children on the bus +1 driver” are injured, four “of those will require hospital treatment”.
BBC News NI understands the majority of those onboard are pupils from Strangford College.
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) have deployed five fire appliances and a specialist team are at the scene of a “collision involving an overturned bus”.
The Ballyblack Road East is closed and motorists are asked to avoid the area
Pictures on social media show the vehicle on its side in a field having left the road.
The road is closed and motorists are asked to avoid the area.
Blue bus overturned on a field, there are crowds of people and the bus windows have been smashed through on impact. Two men are standing in front of the bus.
BBC News NI understands the majority of those onboard are pupils from Strangford College
DUP MP for Strangford, Jim Shannon said: “Our thanks go to the police service, the NIFRS, the ambulance service, as well as the air ambulance.”
“We are unsure of the scale, however the fear is palpable,” he added.
“Thoughts and prayers will be with parents and children during this uncertainty.”
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra programme, UUP councillor Peter Wray said: “As well as the people who are directly affected, it can also cause some distress for other pupils or other people who have seen this incident and have been distressed by it.”
-BBC
