School bus crash in southern Manitoba sends 8 to hospital

A woman with serious injuries has been airlifted to hospital after her car was involved in a collision with aschool bus at an uncontrolled intersection in southeastern Manitoba on Wednesday afternoon.

Six students from Steinbach Regional Secondary School, as well as the bus driver, were also taken to hospital, but as a precautionary measure, the Hanover School Division said in a statement.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Highway 59 and Highway 52, northeast of Otterburne, Man., which is 40 kilometres south of Winnipeg.

Shortly before 2:15 p.m., theschool bus was travelling south on Highway 59 when it attempted to make a left-hand turn onto Highway 52, but collided with the northbound car, RM of Hanover fire chief Paul Wiebe said.

Wiebe said firefighters had to extract the lone occupant from the car. She was transported to hospital in Winnipeg by STARS air ambulance.

"It's a very serious crash," saidWiebe, who didn't have anupdate on the woman's condition. "There's obviously some speed involved and any time you have that, it's always serious."

The students were returning to their high school following a field trip, the school division said in a statement.

The divisionsaid everyone on the bus the driver, 18 students andone teacher were all checked by EMS personnel.Those who were not taken to hospital weretaken to school on a different bus.

Wiebe said the intersection remained closed for the afternoon as crews investigated. Shortly after 5:30 p.m., the provincial highways department said it had reopened.