Four Killed as Train Collides with School Bus in Belgium as Europe Grieves — Seven Dead in France as Record May Heatwave Bakes Western Europe

26 May 2026 | Brussels, Paris, Madrid, London — Updated 14:30 GMT

A quiet morning in Buggenhout, Belgium, shattered. A train slams into a school bus at the Vierhuizen railway crossing. Four lives lost — two children, aged 12 and 15, and two adults, aged 27 and 49. Five other children fight for survival in hospital. "Today, Europe grieves with Belgium," says Ursula von der Leyen, her voice heavy with sorrow.

Meanwhile, across western Europe, another crisis unfolds. Not of steel and speed, but of sun and silence. France reports seven deaths linked to a historic May heatwave. Five drowned seeking relief in rivers and beaches. Two collapsed during sporting events — a woman in Lyon, a man in Paris. The mercury hits 37.1C in southwest France. The UK records its hottest May day ever at 34.8C. Spain braces for 40C.

Two tragedies. One continent. A Tuesday of mourning and mercury.

BRUSSELS/PARIS/MADRID/LONDON – Europe is reeling from twin tragedies on Tuesday as a devastating train collision with a school bus in Belgium has killed four people, including two children, while a record-breaking May heatwave sweeping across western Europe has claimed seven lives in France, with temperatures continuing to soar.

In Buggenhout, a small town in northern Belgium, a train crashed into a school bus at the Vierhuizen railway crossing this morning. Belgian deputy prime minister Maxime Prevot confirmed the death toll in a post on X: "A tragic collision between a train and a school bus took place in Buggenhout this morning. Four people have been killed, including two children."

Belgium Train Crash: What We Know

The authorities confirmed the four deaths included two children aged 12 and 15, the school bus driver aged 27, and another adult aged 49. Five other children were seriously injured, but their condition is stable, according to Belgian broadcaster HLN.

Belgium's mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke told RTL that two people were seriously injured in addition to the four fatalities. "It's tragic," he was reported as saying. "My first thoughts are with the victims, but also with those who were injured and their families."

The exact circumstances of the crash are still being investigated. Emergency services remain at the scene in Vierhuizen, where the railway crossing has been closed as investigators piece together what led to the collision.

Europe Grieves with Belgium: Von der Leyen Responds

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen responded to the crash on social media, expressing her heartbreak and solidarity with the Belgian people.

"I was heartbroken to learn of the tragic accident between a train and a school bus in Buggenhout today," she wrote. "My deepest condolences go out to the victims' families and their loved ones. Today, Europe grieves with Belgium."

Messages of condolences have poured in from across the continent, with leaders expressing solidarity with Belgium during this devastating time.

France Heatwave: Seven Dead as Record Temperatures Sweep Western Europe

As Belgium mourns its dead, France is counting the human cost of an unprecedented May heatwave. The French government said Tuesday that seven people have died in connection to the extreme heat baking much of western Europe.

"What I can say today is that there have been seven deaths directly or indirectly related to the heat," government spokesperson Maud Bregeon told television broadcaster TF1. Bregeon added that five of the deaths were drownings, as people sought relief from the scorching temperatures in beaches and rivers before lifeguard supervision has officially begun for the summer season.

Two other deaths on Sunday have been directly attributed to the heat: a woman competing in a Hyrox fitness competition in Lyon died of hyperthermia, and a 53-year-old man suffered a heart attack during a 10km running race in Paris. Sixteen people were hospitalised, including 10 in a critical condition, during another road race in the Paris suburb of Maisons-Alfort. Three teenagers were among those who drowned in swimming accidents over the weekend.

Bregeon cautioned that the figures and specific causes of death would need "to be clarified once the episode we are currently experiencing has come to an end."

Tourists protect themselves from the sun during high temperatures in Ronda, Spain, late last week as a historic May heatwave sweeps across western Europe, with temperatures approaching 40C in parts of the country.

'Premature, Remarkable and Long': The Science Behind the Heat

Météo France, the national weather agency, said Monday's highest reading of 37.1C (98.8F) was recorded near Hossegor in the south-western department of Les Landes. The agency confirmed that Monday was "the hottest day measured for the month of May since records began," with the national average temperature hitting 24.4C — beating the previous high of 23.7C set in 1944.

The UK's Met Office said Monday was the country's hottest May day on record, with temperatures hitting 34.8C (94.6F) at Kew Gardens in south-west London — a reading it described as "exceptional in the UK even in mid-summer, let alone May."

Christophe Cassou, a climate scientist, told Le Monde: "This is an unprecedented event with a one in 1,000 chance of happening at this time of year in the climate of 1979 to 2025. It would have been virtually impossible in the pre-industrial era."

Météo France explained that a "heat dome" — hot air from Morocco trapped under an area of high pressure — is causing the extreme temperatures. The agency warned that Europe could expect such events to "occur more and more often, earlier and earlier, and to be more and more intense."

Robert Vautard, a climate researcher, told Agence France-Presse: "This extension of the heatwave season is entirely characteristic of the effects of climate change. Eventually, we will be seeing similar heat events in April and October."

Spain Braces for 40C as Heatwave Continues

In Spain, the heat shows no sign of relenting. Widespread highs of 36-38C in the Guadiana, Guadalquivir and Ebro valleys are expected to continue possibly until Friday, the state weather service Aemet said, adding that "in some of those areas, temperatures could reach 40C."

Tourists in Ronda and across southern Spain have been seeking shade and using umbrellas, fans, and hats to protect themselves from the intense sun as the mercury continues to rise.

In Italy's Lazio region, which includes Rome, authorities have imposed restrictions on work in conditions "with prolonged exposure in the sun," for example on farms, construction sites and in the delivery sector, between 12.30pm and 4pm.

First May Heat Alert in France Since 2004

Eight of France's 96 administrative departments have been placed on an orange high-temperature alert — the second-highest level — requiring the population to "be vigilant and take precautions." A further 20 departments are on a more moderate yellow warning.

It is the first time the national heat warning system has been activated in May since it was introduced in 2004. More than 350 weather stations across France recorded new monthly highs on Monday, with more records likely to be set on Tuesday.

The prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has called a meeting of key ministers on Thursday to assess government preparations for heatwaves as the extreme weather continues.

Heatwave Extends Across Western Europe

While parts of the UK are entering a heatwave — with temperatures exceeding 26C to 28C, depending on the location, for three consecutive days — in France, night-time temperatures must also stay above a certain level for an official heatwave to be declared.

High temperatures have driven many people to the country's beaches and rivers to cool off in the water, even though lifeguard supervision is not due to start in most areas until July — a factor that contributed to the drowning deaths reported over the weekend.

Models have already estimated that, with the effects of climate breakdown, June heatwaves are now about 10 times more likely in Europe than they were in the pre-industrial era, and the same trajectory is becoming evident for May.

EU Summons Russian Diplomat in Brussels

Separately, the European Union has summoned Russia's top diplomat in Brussels over pre-strike warnings for foreigners and diplomats in Kyiv. The move comes as tensions remain high following recent escalations in the ongoing conflict, though details of the warnings remain limited at this time.

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