In France, an Ukrainian driver has been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter and causing serious injuries in connection with a major bus accident
On Sunday, June 15, the Paris prosecutor’s office officially charged one of the two Ukrainian nationals who were driving the bus that overturned in the French department of Sarthe on the evening of June 13. According to sources within the French law enforcement system, the Ukrainian driver is currently suspected of involuntary manslaughter of several individuals and causing serious bodily injuries, making this case particularly high-profile both in France and Ukraine. Information confirming the seriousness of the incident was also provided in Paris, where a detailed investigation into the circumstances of the crash on the A81 federal highway near the town of Dugey has been initiated. As stated by the Paris prosecutor’s office, at the time of the accident, there were 58 passengers on board, mostly Ukrainian teenagers aged 15 to 17, traveling on an educational trip from the town of Ploermel in France to their hometown of Kitzmantsi in Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine. According to preliminary data, four adults died as a result of the collision, likely including the bus drivers. More than 50 passengers sustained injuries of varying severity. Specifically, nine of them are in critical condition, 18 are in moderate condition, and 29 received minor injuries. As of June 15, the condition of the injured has stabilized, and the majority are no longer in life-threatening danger. Regarding the causes of the accident, law enforcement officials reported that blood alcohol and drug tests for both Ukrainian drivers were negative. One of the drivers, who was at the wheel during the accident, has been detained and placed under judicial supervision; he is prohibited from operating any vehicle until the investigation concludes. The other driver, also present in the vehicle, was released without charges, indicating possible differences in roles and circumstances leading to the crash. The investigation is being conducted by a dedicated unit for investigating collective accidents within the Paris prosecutor’s office, and all the details of this tragedy are currently under scrutiny by the investigators. The background of the situation adds further weight to this tragedy: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on the evening of June 13 that among the victims of the French accident were three Ukrainian citizens. It is known that three women and one man lost their lives in this large-scale crash. In addition to the four fatalities, nine other victims sustained serious injuries and are hospitalized in France. This incident has sparked widespread public resonance in both countries, underscoring the importance of passenger safety, especially when it involves children and teenagers returning home after educational or cultural trips abroad.