- Authorities said three children were taken to the hospital in critical condition
- Horrific scenes showed the damaged car next to mangled bicycles
Children leisurely cycling at a popular French holiday destination were mowed down this morning when a car plowed into their group of 12.
Seven children were seriously injured, three of whom were in critical condition, after the 83-year-old motorist plowed into the group cycling in the opposite direction along Avenue de Coligny in La Rochelle, western France.
Shocked witnesses at the scene described “terrible images”, telling reporters from local outlet France Bleu La Rochelle that the children could be heard screaming in fear and pain.
One child had to be transported to the city of Poitiers, further inland, for life-saving treatment, while two others were declared an “extreme emergency,” local official Emmanuel Cayron said.
Disturbing images later shared on social media showed the motorist’s yellow Renault Twingo with significant damage to the front bumper, while the twisted frames of several bicycles lay on the concrete nearby.
A huge contingent of 32 firefighters was mobilized for the incident, along with seven ambulances and a few police officers.
Investigators began determining the circumstances of the crash after the elderly motorist tested negative for alcohol and narcotics administered by emergency responders.
She was initially arrested by police officers at the scene, but was later released and taken to hospital as she was deemed unfit for questioning.
The twelve young cyclists participated in an after-school cycling outing, something they did regularly.
They were on their way to Franck Delmas Park, about 2.4 kilometers from Bernard Palissy School and just 800 meters from the city center, when they were hit by the oncoming Twingo.
The mayor’s office said the children were accompanied by two activity leaders, regularly traveled by bicycle and were riding in a line down the street when the errant vehicle traveling from the opposite direction encountered them.
Officials are setting up a medical and psychological response unit at a municipal building in La Rochelle to provide support to the children who did not suffer serious injuries, France Bleu reported.