THE 68-year-old driver of a school bus died after it was involved in a three-vehicle crash yesterday.
Police Scotland said 13 pupils were on the private-hire bus when it was involved in a collision with a lorry and car, but none suffered any serious injuries.
The accident happened at around 7.40am close to the Maryculter Bridge on the South Deeside Road (B979), outside Aberdeen.
The single-decker coach was carrying 13 pupils from Lathallan School, an independent day-and-boarding school in Johnshaven, Aberdeenshire.
The 40-year-old male driver of a red Audi A4 and 56-year-old male driver of a white DAF lorry were taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary with non-life threatening injuries.
The bus driver’s identity had not been released at time of going to press.
A police spokesman said yesterday: “Police Scotland can confirm that as a result of the serious road traffic collision earlier today on the South Deeside Road, the male bus driver has sadly died.
“The collision occurred at 7.45am close to the Maryculter Bridge on the South Deeside Road (B979), outside Aberdeen and involved a lorry, a bus and a car. Thirteen pupils from Lathallan School in Johnshaven were on the bus at the time of the incident, but none has sustained any serious injuries.”
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokeswoman said it received a call at 7.43am to attend the collision.
She said: “We dispatched four ambulances, four special operations retrieval units and one paramedic response unit to the scene.
“Two patients were taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.”
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service sent five fire appliances, including a heavy rescue unit to the scene.”
Headteacher Richard Toley said later that all pupils involved in the incident were now with their parents.
He added: “We have been informed that the driver has sadly passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. He was a larger-than-life character who was extremely popular with our pupils. He will be missed by us all.”
Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to call Police Scotland on 101.
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