Accident on the A13: Military Bus Involved, 36 Injured, Including One Seriously

A serious road accident occurred on Wednesday, March 19, around 7:20 p.m. on the A13 highway near Mantes-la-Jolie. The accident involved four buses from the Republican Guard, carrying officer cadets returning from an inter-army seminar in Évreux.

According to initial reports, the buses suddenly braked and collided with each other. A car traveling behind the convoy was unable to stop in time and crashed into the vehicles.

One Seriously Injured, 35 with Minor Injuries

The current toll stands at 36 injured, including one in critical condition: the driver of one of the buses, who had to be extricated. However, his life is not in danger. Among the minor injuries are 34 military personnel and one motorist, all taken to regional hospitals and one in Paris.

Emergency response efforts mobilized 51 firefighters and 31 emergency vehicles, along with three medical teams, police forces, and gendarmes. Traffic on the A13 highway has been partially restored, but the removal of the buses will only take place the following morning.

Reaction from the Minister of the Armed Forces

The Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, reacted on social media platform X, expressing his support for the injured and thanking the emergency services. He specified that three military personnel, including the bus driver and two officer cadets from the gendarmerie, were taken to Percy Military Hospital, with no life-threatening injuries.

The exact circumstances of the accident remain unclear, as an investigation is underway to determine the causes and responsibilities of this chain collision.