Four people, including two children, were killed on Tuesday when a school minibus collided with a train in the Belgian town of Buggenhout.
The dead include two pupils aged 12 and 15, a 49-year-old bus driver and a 27-year-old accompanying adult, said Lisa De Wilde, a spokeswoman for the regional prosecutor's office.
The five other children on board were critically injured and taken to hospital but are in stable condition, she said.
The bus was headed to a special education school, according to local media.
The cause of the accident, which happened roughly 20 kilometres north of Brussels, is under investigation, De Wilde said.
According to rail infrastructure company Infrabel, the level crossing was closed at the time of the crash.
“Surveillance footage shows that the traffic lights were red, and the barrier was down. The train driver also applied the emergency brakes, but the collision could not be avoided," Infrabel spokesman Thomas Baeken was quoted as saying by news agency Belga.
Politicians express their condolences
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said he is "deeply moved by the horrific accident in Buggenhout. My thoughts go out to the affected families."
Several Belgian politicians also expressed their condolences, along with senior European Union officials.
"I was heartbroken to learn of the tragic accident," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
"Today, Europe grieves with Belgium," she said.
"My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. Wishing all those injured a swift recovery," said European Council President António Costa.
