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GV Rescue workers looking through remains of bus (3 shots)
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CU official speaking on radio
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CU Frogmen
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GV Doctors assisting survivors (4 shots)
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SCU Official speaking and being interrupted on radio
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GV Rescue workers helping survivors into ambulance (3 shots)
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Initials OS


EUROVISION TELERECORDING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In Lyons, a coach carrying handicapped children home from school plunged into the Rhone River Tuesday evening (21 December) killing 13 and seriously injuring several others.

SYNOPSIS: Police said the coach slid backwards into the river as the driver was trying to turn. Heavy fog had reduced visibility to 10 metres. An official spokesman at the scene of the accident said the road from which the bus fell was almost deserted at the time and it was some minutes before a passer-by raised the alarm.

The front half of the bus remained out of the water. But many of the children were trapped in the submerged rear of the bus and drowned before rescue workers could get to them. Ambulances and police vehicles were still searching the river two hours after the bus went in.

The bus was n route from the children's special school to their homes. A local official said 35 people, including the driver and two young women assistants were originally on board. However, just prior to the disaster 12 of the children were dropped off.d The driver, another young woman assistant and seven children survived the disaster.

The survivors were immediately taken to hospital where some still remain on the critical list.