At least 12 people were injured when a school bus carrying Salem High School football players overturned on a Georgia highway, prompting a major emergency response and medical helicopters to be requested.
The crash happened shortly before 11pm on Georgia State Route 138 at Old Salem Road in Rockdale County, outside Atlanta. The bus was carrying 17 players, seven trainers, two coaches and a driver.
The Rockdale County School District said 27 people were involved. One trainer was airlifted to hospital, while ambulances took the other injured passengers for treatment.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M Blank Hospital was placed on standby for the possibility of a mass-casualty event. The full extent of the injuries was not immediately known.
Images from the scene showed the bus with extensive damage, including a collapsed section of roof, a smashed front and broken windows. Emergency crews later turned the vehicle upright and continued working at the scene into the early hours of Saturday.
Head coach Fredrick Green was trying to establish where his injured players had been taken. Officials also appeared to be preparing a reunification site at a nearby car park for students and their families.
The road was closed after the crash and motorists were advised to use alternative routes. Firefighters and ambulances were among the large number of emergency vehicles sent to the scene.
Salem High School, in Conyers, had played an away fixture against Greater Atlanta Christian in Norcross at 7.30pm on Friday. The schools are roughly a 50-minute drive apart.
Authorities said the scene remained active as emergency services dealt with the aftermath.
