27 students, driver injured in school bus crash near Tisdale, Sask.

RCMP say 27 students and an adult driver were on a school bus that crashed Monday afternoon near Tisdale, a town about 200 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.

The bus, carrying students aged 14 to 17, crashed around 3:55 p.m. CST near an intersection 22 kilometres southwest of Tisdale.

Police saidall of the students and the driver were taken to hospital by paramedics or parents, with one youth being airlifted to Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon by STARS Air Ambulance. Six students and the driverwere seriously injured, and 21 students had non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Rita Lumberjack, a councillor from Kinistin Saulteaux Nation, told CBC that the students involved were all from the First Nation.

The North East School Divisionalso confirmed the incident and expressed concern. The students all attend Tisdale Middle & Secondary School.

"We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to all the emergency responders and health practitioners for their quick response and care to all those involved," the division said in a statement. "We are sending our healing thoughts and wishes for a quick recovery to those involved."

The chief ofKinistin Saulteaux Nation,Felix Thomas, told CBC that he is grateful to the hospital staff at Tisdale hospital who acted quickly and efficiently to care for the patientsduring a Code Orange.

"They were ready for us and took great care for our kids, making sure that they're assessed immediately," he said.

RCMP said in a news release Monday the bus was upright in theditch after the crash.

All the families of the students have been notified, and the road at the intersection where the incident occurred has since reopened.

Officers continue to investigate with the assistance of a Saskatchewan RCMP collision reconstructionist, police said.