18 children and driver hospitalized with injuries after school bus crash in Kentucky

A school bus crashed and ended up over an embankment Monday in Kentucky, with 18 children and the driver taken by helicopter or ambulance to hospitals with varying degrees of injury, officials said.

Kentucky State Police were on the scene, and "we are responding swiftly," Gov. Andy Beshear said in a tweet.

"Kentucky, we have tough some tough news. There has been a serious bus accident in Magoffin County involving children," he wrote. "Please join me in praying for all those involved. We will continue to share updates as available."

The crash happened on state Route 40 near Salyersville, in eastern Kentucky, the Magoffin County School District said in a statement. 

The bus was traveling toward Salyersville when it drove off the pavement and into the adjacent ditch, reentered the roadway, and then seemingly overcorrected, causing the bus to cross both lanes and slide over the opposite embankment, cutting a utility pole in half along the way, CBS affiliate WKYT reported. The driver was ejected from the vehicle in the crash and partially pinned under the bus, according to WKYT, which cited school officials as its source of information.

Photos of the accident site, posted on Facebook by the Salyersville Independent, show the bus lying on its side with a bent utility pole suspended just above it. At least 18 children, including elementary, middle and high school students, were riding the bus when it crashed, according to the newspaper. 

No other vehicles were involved, state Trooper Michael Coleman said. The road was expected to be shut for several hours, he said.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the accident. Kentucky State Police said Monday morning that the road would be closed for at least four hours while officers investigate, WKYT reported.

"We're really in the beginning stages of the investigation," Coleman said.

In:
• School Bus
• School Bus Accident
• Bus Crash
• Kentucky