Eleven still in hospital after French coach crash
Ciaran Jenkins
Data Correspondent and Presenter
Eleven people remain in hospital as tributes continue to pour in for the teacher killed in coach crash during school ski trip to France.
Peter Rippington, 59, died and dozens were injured when their bus flipped over and came to rest at the bottom of an embankment near the city of Rheims in the Champagne-Ardenne region.
His wife, Sharon, and daughter Amy were also injured in the crash, which involved 29 pupils from Alvechurch Middle School in Worcestershire.
Initial tests on the coach driver, who received minor injuries, showed he was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Local police are believed to be investigating whether he fell asleep at the wheel.
Tributes
This morning, 11 people remained in hospital, with six of them seriously injured. A 13-year-old girl had also been transferred for treatment at the Necker children’s hospital in Paris where she underwent an operation.
A total of 27 people were taken to two local hospitals following the crash, with 22 suffering minor injuries. It is not clear how many of the injured were children.
Tributes continued to pour in for Mr Rippington following the crash, following a statement from his family describing their devastation at the “tragic loss of Peter”.
Pupil Kate Vanderplank, who has two sons who were taught by him, said: “He was a fantastic teacher, really special. He was great not just within the school, but in the community as well.”
Flowers have also been left outside the school, where children were today offered counselling. Some pupils left an apple with a tribute attached, saying: “Dear Mr Rip, you will be truly missed. You were a one of a kind teacher and you can never be replaced. You were funny and kind and always made everyone’s day.
“We will love and miss you forever and always.”
Sincere condolences
Interski Snowsport School, the company that arranged the trip, said there were 21 adults on the coach when it crashed on the A26 at Chalons-en-Champagne.
Two were drivers, six were Interski instructors and 13 adults who belonged to the school party.
The company said in a statement: “We are saddened and distressed to report the death of a party leader following a coach accident in the Rheims area of northern France. Our thoughts are with the bereaved family and friends, to whom we offer our sincere condolences.”