Heroic school bus driver like a ‘captain of the ship going down’

A bus driver has been likened to “a captain going down with his ship” after his brave act following a crash involving 27 schoolgirls.

The driver of a school bus which crashed in Victoria has been described as “the captain of the ship going down” as he bravely tried to help the students despite being injured himself.

The bus, which was carrying several adults and 27 schoolgirls from Loreto College in Ballarat, rolled down an embankment about 3.20am on Wednesday after a crash with a truck on the Western Hwy near Bacchus Marsh.

The students, who were mostly from years 9 to 12, had been on their way to the airport to begin an overseas trip.

The bus, which was carrying several adults and 27 schoolgirls from Loreto College in Ballarat. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Tow truck company owner Trevor Oliver was clearing debris from an earlier incident when he heard “three horrendous bangs” and was among those who helped free everyone on-board.

Mr Oliver said the bus driver did a magnificent job assisting, despite suffering injuries himself.

“It’s really going to hit him in the next 24 hours,” he told the ABC.

“How he survived is amazing. He refused to go to hospital until every girl had left that accident scene.

“It was like the captain of the ship going down.”

The students had been on their way to the airport to begin an overseas trip. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Mr Oliver told 7 News one girl had part of her leg amputated.

“Three of us got hold of her … we got her free and carried her out,” he said.

“(I) was just trying to calm her down, grabbing whatever we could to wrap her leg, because we were conscious of her bleeding.

“It just seemed like an eternity to get enough ambulances there.”

The bus crashed with a truck on the Western Hwy near Bacchus Marsh. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Twelve patients remain in hospital and all of them are in a stable condition.

The school is open despite the national day of mourning, so students affected by the incident can access counselling.

Meanwhile, police have worked overnight at the crash scene.

Ballarat Police Acting Superintendent Jason Templar said the fact everyone had been wearing seatbelts probably prevented any deaths.

Originally published as Heroic school bus driver like a ‘captain of the ship going down’