In black ice, five boarding school students in the French Jura Mountains left the road with their car and fell into an icy lake. Only one occupant managed to get out of the sinking car and sound the alarm in the accident near Champagnole on Wednesday afternoon, the broadcaster BFMTV reported.
Despite the best efforts of the police and fire brigade, the remaining four were killed. Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer spoke of a drama that he was thinking of relatives and friends. The school authorities stand by the environment of the victims.
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As Prefect David Philot told the broadcaster, the road along Lake Chalain was completely icy and the car got out of control. Unlike the rest of the road, there were no trees at the scene of the accident, so the car fell down. “We are really facing drama, everyone is shocked.”
Investigations into the exact course of the accident had been taken up. According to the information, the driver alone was of legal age. The other victims were 15 to 17 years old and all boarders in the high school in the provincial town of Champagnole.
The surviving student was taken to a hospital with hypothermia. The dead were recovered and also transported to the hospital for identification. As reported by the broadcaster France bleu, psychological care should be set up at the high school concerned. (dpa)
