what we know about the circumstances of the tragedy which left six injured, including three seriously

The events occurred Wednesday morning near the city center, while the children were going to an orienteering race in a public park.

An investigation has been opened. A group of children on bicycles were hit by a vehicle in La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime), Wednesday June 5. The accident left six injured, three of them serious, according to the prefecture. Some 32 firefighters were engaged on site, as well as seven ambulances and various intervention vehicles. Here is what we know about this drama.

A group of children aged 10 to 12 on an after-school outing

The events occurred on Wednesday morning around 10 a.m., near the city center of La Rochelle, at the intersection of avenue Coligny and rue Jules-Ferry, while the children were on their way to an orienteering race in a public park. According to the prefecture, it was a group of young cyclists on an after-school outing made up of 12 children aged 10 to 12 years old.

The children were accompanied by two animators and “used to travel by bike. They do it regularly”, La Rochelle town hall told AFP. She added to France 3 Nouvelle Aquitaine that the group “departed from the Bernard-Palissy leisure center and went to Franck Delmas Park.“

A head-on collision with an 83-year-old motorist

For a reason still unknown, a head-on collision between the group of cyclists and a motorist in a yellow Twingo occurred at this intersection. According to the La Rochelle public prosecutor’s office, the cThe accused driver is 83 years old. Negative on alcohol and narcotics tests, she was placed in police custody but her condition was deemed incompatible with this measure, according to the same source. She was therefore sent to La Rochelle hospital.

Three seriously injured, including one airlifted to Poitiers hospital

Among these 12 children, one was very seriously injured and airlifted to the Poitiers University Hospital (Vienna), Emmanuel Cayron, secretary general of the Charente-Maritime prefecture, announced to AFP. Two others, in “absolute emergency”, were also hospitalized, one in Poitiers and the other in La Rochelle. Three other injured people are “relative urgency”he added.

The six other children, very shocked, were taken care of by firefighters in a nearby room. Some 32 firefighters were involved, as well as seven ambulances and various intervention vehicles.

An investigation opened into unintentional injuries by a driver

THE vsThe La Rochelle police station was investigated for unintentional injuries by a driver. “She will have to take stock of the circumstances of the accident”said Emmanuel Cayron.