A bus that came off the road and crashed into a river on Friday (26 June 2025) has attracted national media attention.

The vehicle came off the road in Bishopstoke Road, Eastleigh. The college bus for students attending Barton Peveril Sixth Form College left the carriageway into a shallow part of the River Itchen.

There were 19 passengers onboard the bus at the time, plus the driver. 

The driver and one passenger – a 69-year-old man and 16-year-old girl – suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. A further three passengers – two girls and one boy all aged 17 – sustained serious injuries and have since been discharged from hospital. 15 other passengers aged between 16 and 18 suffered minor injuries. Three of these have received hospital treatment.

Press pictures show the double-decker upright but submerged up to its wheels in the river.

Fire crews alongside other emergency services worked together to ensure that everyone on the bus was led to safety. Those requiring medical treatment were passed into the care of the ambulance service.

The road has now reopened, following a complex recovery of the bus alongside the fire service.

Terrifying ordeal

Detective Sergeant Gary Doughty, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This must have been a terrifying ordeal for everyone on the bus and for the families of the young passengers.

“We have worked closely with staff from the college to contact the families of all those involved and I want to thank the college for their assistance with this, as well as our ambulance and fire service colleagues for their help with the injured parties and recovery of the bus.

“Several members of the public helped passengers out of the bus before emergency services arrived and we have also had some initial witnesses who have given us key information to help us establish what happened.

“While we understand it will be tempting for people and the media to speculate on the potential causes of the collision, we just want to stress that officers are in the early stages of their investigation and are keeping an open mind.

“This will be a thorough investigation and all lines of enquiry will be followed to determine the circumstances.”

The bus was Barton Peveril Sixth Form College’s 607 bus, operated by Go-Ahead-owned Bluestar. College staff are working closely with the police to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.

To provide the police with any relevant information pertaining the incident, call 101 quoting reference number 44250281666, or make a report online here.