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    Family Of France Coach Crash Victim Reunited

    The family of a teacher who was killed in a school coach crash in northern France have been reunited after they were treated for injuries in hospital.

    Peter Rippington, 59, died when the bus fell to the bottom of the A26 motorway embankment near Chalons-en-Champagne, near Rheims, early on Sunday.

    His wife, Sharon, suffered multiple injuries to her face and back and his daughter Amy was also hurt.

    A total of 29 pupils were involved in the crash.

    Tributes have been paid to Mr Rippington, who taught at Alvechurch Middle School .

    His son, Max, said he was "delighted" to be reunited with his mother and sister.

    In a statement, the family said: "Max Rippington, son of Peter, who was so tragically killed in the horrific coach crash on Sunday, and Sharon Rippington, badly injured in the same incident, is delighted to be reunited with his sister, Amy, and his mum.

    "They all, Sharon, Amy, Max and family, wanted to express deep thanks to all for the very kind tributes and support being given. It has given them all enormous strength, comfort and pride.

    "As previously stated, the family would like to request privacy and time to grieve with their family and friends."

    Earlier, prosecutors said the driver of the coach had admitted he may have been "drowsy" at the time but has "no recollection" of the event.

    Derek Thompson, 47, faces charges of involuntary homicide and involuntary wounding.

    In a statement released after a court hearing in Chalons-en-Champagne, prosecutor Christian de Rocquigny said: "The driver explained that he had no recollection of the circumstances of the accident.

    "While in custody, after denying falling asleep, the driver acknowledged that it was possible that he was drowsy."

    Tests have shown Mr Thompson was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and local police are reportedly investigating whether he may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

    Mr de Rocquigny said in an earlier statement: "Witnesses who were driving in the area near the coach saw the vehicle repeatedly swerve towards the verge.

    "The tachograph indicates some unexplained variations in speed in the nine minutes before the accident, the judge explained."

    Mr Thompson has been allowed to go back to the UK, but must return to France to go before court when required.

    The prosecutor said he must "inform the judge of any travel outside Great Britain", is banned from "contact with victims and families of these, except the other driver", and is banned from "driving on French territory".

    Most of the 49 British nationals who were on the coach are back in the UK, according to the Foreign Office, but seven people remain in hospital in France.

    A spokesman said: "Our thoughts remain with everyone involved in or affected by the tragic bus crash in France.

    "We would like to thank the French authorities and emergency services for the outstanding assistance they have provided to those involved in this tragic event."

    Mr Rippington was described by Bryan Maybee, chairman of governors of Alvechurch Middle School, in Worcestershire, as a "dedicated and inspirational teacher".

    An earlier statement from the Rippington family said: "We, as a family, are devastated at the tragic loss of Peter, a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, son-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle, friend and teacher."

     
    • jt  •  Reading, England  •  3 months ago
      so sorry for all involed....including the driver:(
      • Martina 3 months ago
        Your simple comment shows humanity. Thank you.
      • Martina 3 months ago
        Stephen, if you are a driver, I hope you will pull over to the side of the road immediately next time you yawn at the wheel. It is the stuff of nightmares to make a human error that causes harm to others. Stupidity? Hands up all the drivers who have felt tired at the wheel after a long hard day at work, driving kids to school when kept up all night with a crying baby, reaching the end of a long journey on holiday. Coffee, fresh air, etc still don't ensure you will have time to stop when you
        first start to nod off. We need an alarm system. Practical help not quick condemnation.
      • Alan 3 months ago
        the key word in that statement stephen is "may" not something thats always apparent and no doubt it was the result of interrogation, something that no doubt made him tired and therefore likely to say anything to get them off his back. I seriously doubt whatever the situation was he did this on purpose so it was an accident, a sad accident but an accident none the less. Accident- "An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally" I would also imagine the poor man is mortified by it and does not need a summary hanging by the whollyer than tho fraternity
    • Ivan  •  London, England  •  3 months ago
      God help everyone concerned. God bless the Driver who made a mistake he is probably a decent man who will live with his guilt for all his days. I agree that he should have taken a break but who of us as not said just a few more miles and we will stop. There but for the grace of God go I.
      • sharon 3 months ago
        he had a bus full of kids!
      • Lance 3 months ago
        I am sure he knows that his passengers were school children
      • sharon 3 months ago
        Well Lance, why take the risk? Why not stop and take a rest? Would you take the risk with kids on the bus?
    • david  •  London, England  •  3 months ago
      How many of us have been driving and felt sleep grabbing hold.
      • "*" 3 months ago
        Not me. Mind you, I have only been a driver for 17 years.
      • Crays hill resident 3 months ago
        Firstly "us" are not driving a coach full of school children across France, and secondly most of us would have the sense to pull off the road.
      • Kurt 3 months ago
        Not many people fall asleep on the school run!
    • BARRY  •  Ilford, England  •  3 months ago
      I feel sorry for everyone involved including the driver. It's so easy to feel sleepy at night with endless straight roads, a warm coach and the darkness, there all the constiuanlts nature provides for sleep. It must be dreadful to think you may have killed someone.
      • Ruari 3 months ago
        Well said Barry. I've driven this road a lot & unlike in the Uk, where roads are fairly busy even at night, the A26 at 3am is practically deserted - you find yourself just staring, almost mesmerised, down the beam of the headlamps.
      • rod 3 months ago
        If you can't stay awake and fully alert then don't drive. Simple. Someone died because they didn't understand common sense. No excuses . A life was lost. RIP
      • Perry 3 months ago
        Well said rod, now i bet you are NOT a professional driver, being told what to do all the time!

        I AM a coach driver, and have traveled along the A26 several times, coming back from a ski trip is the worst time of all, driver does not get sleep during the day ready for the load up at 6pm and a long drive through the night to get back home!

        It is NOT the drivers fault, he was more than likely tired and obviously his co driver was sleeping ready for a fresh driver when his turn comes.

        R.I.P. to the poor man that died, may his family forgive the driver.
    • SHIRLEY KEEFE  •  London, England  •  3 months ago
      what really pisses me off is the number of people making comments about coach/ HGV hours regulations about which they know absolutely nothing, all condeming the driver. Come the summer holidays how many of them will jump in their overloaded cars full of family on a friday night after a day at work and then drive of on to the continent on a long distance drive at high speed on unfamiliar roads to some far distant destination abroad
      • MARTIN 3 months ago
        Sensible comment madam. There is just so much utter #$%$ ref this incident posted on this forum. Unless you have driven LGV/PCV or are an operator, you know absolutely nothing about road transport or the complexities involved. Wait for the findings.
      • david 3 months ago
        I am the first to admit that I haven't and therefore I don't. That is why I personally will never comment on things I know nothing about. I know what LGV is but will someone tell me what a PCV is please? I also know PSV and HGV but never heard of PCV. Thank you.
      • david 3 months ago
        Don't usually use Google but just did and now I know. Thank you
    • webload1  •  Maidenhead, England  •  3 months ago
      how easy you all condem the drivers we truckers and coach drivers are treated by the public as morons on the road but were out there 6 days a week having to get everything from people to food and fuel and industry all over the place. the public are ok with everything being there when they want it but as soon as something goes wrong the drivers are to blame we have car drivers cutting us up all day long causing accidents and clearing off before anyone realises whats happened,we have VOSA checking us out all the time drivers hours, breaks, speed, etc then we have the old boys in blue on our backs all the time looking for an easy target to be fined. then we have the all important boss chasing us all the time why arent you there yet whats taking so long whats the hold up etc then a coachful of people all wanting to get home or should we say screaming and shouting kids on the bus. but no pressure must get to ferry. im sorry for the dead and injured im also feel for the driver no matter what happened he has to live with it he's not a criminal he was doing his job. his job is very stressful its not like sitting in an office all day its constant pressure from starting the engine to switching it off when does he rest even off duty whilst the other driver is driving i bet the passengers arent asking for tea coffee pop etc who gets it the driver who is supposed to be resting not waiting on passengers hand and foot. ive been on these double manned coach trips as a passenger ive seen it done. as for me im a truck driver of 40 years luckily no accident in that time but should i have one i bet i'll get the blame hundreds of thousands of miles a year and still car drivers say truckers cant drive if the driver was drunk or on drugs i'd be the first to condemn but its not that way so ease off
    • KEITH  •  Ilford, England  •  3 months ago
      we should learn by these mistakes planes have auto pilots .trains have a dead mans handle . coaches have nothing only the judgement of himself . its about time we move into the 21st centre with safety again as the coach stopped on a tracking device
    • The Englishman  •  Cowes, England  •  3 months ago
      As an ex Continental Trucker,,I am torn with my emoticions about this. Being a trucker,,if I had a bad day,,(we all get them),,I could call my boss and tell I was getting me head down,,he would'nt like it,,but realised sometimes people,,unlike machines,,fail. I would'nt deive 38 tons of truck over mountains whilst trying to stay awake,,simple.
      BUT a coach driver is "kinda" forced to keep going,,,as a human being,,if he felt lousy,,he should have been able to stop,,rest,,with out fear of losing his job or being taunted.

      However,,,because of this odd work ethos in driving,,we have a terrible incident and some hurt children,,,so whats more important??? the driver,,profits,,or the passengers well being?
    • Juno  •  London, England  •  3 months ago
      As a retired PSV driver of 37 years I know what went wrong, keep on the Piste as long as possible drive through the night 4 1/2 hours drive 45 mins rest another 4 1/2 that A26 road is a B.....D at night just white lines, how many kids take their seat belts off? 90% even before you move off you can here the clicks as they come undone. God bless the Teacher who died, but spare a thought for the Driver the first thought in any Coach Driver is his passengers and this guy will have this in his memory FOREVER, so may God Bless him as well.
    • MAUREEN  •  Brixham, England  •  3 months ago
      Yes, it's a real tragedy, I know from experience that when traveling long distances you do get feelings of tiredness, as my husband pulled over into a parking bay when we were moving to Devon after driving though the night from London on the A30. He said " I feel tired! so we both went off to sleep for a couple of hours...........It happens to everyone at some time or other.We are sorry for all those people and the driver!
    • Jon  •  Edinburgh, Scotland  •  3 months ago
      you can buy a tiny device that hooks on your ear,as you fall asleep your head tips down and the device bleeps loudly. maybe these could be worn by coach drivers
      years ago i was on a coach where the driver was defo nodding off,everybody was holding on their seats!, until he opened his window to wake himself up
    • V2  •  London, England  •  3 months ago
      I found driving a coach down that dead strait poorly lit A 26 awful nothing to look at just the white lines in the road, and that can have a terrible affect on you even when your not tired, but it would be an idea for a teacher to chat and ask the driver if all is OK from time to time or even make the driver a coffee helps. communication between the driver and teachers is the key, so I say to all teachers and people that hire coaches show some respect for the driver, he is human and not a machine at your disposal, so please work with the driver I have done this job for many years and it always goes well on every trip. I wont comment on the accident because I don't know what happened from the start of the tour and why the driver fell or may have fell asleep.
    • Devonlady  •  St Albans, England  •  3 months ago
      A nasty experience for everyone concerned. Lets not forget the drivers and their families too. The driver will have to live with this the rest of his life. No prejudgment. Lets wait for the accident report on the coach, there could be a problem with the central steering tho from what has been said, he could have dropped off particularly if he had the coach on auto steer which often happens on these motorways on the continent. Our prayers to everyone concerned.
    • Hells Bells!  •  Llandrindod Wells, Wales  •  3 months ago
      Accidents do happen and I feel this driver is going to be blamed in a criminal way. We live in he blame culture. This man must feel terrible about the crash and knowing he could be at fault albeit innocently perhaps. He was tested for drink and drugs and found to be clear. Why not let it rest so the coach party can get on with their lives recovering and mourning the dead.
    • Jason  •  Eastleigh, England  •  3 months ago
      system is a joke, the driver is not a killer, Accident springs to mind simple its the way of life unfortunately.... gunna punish a innocent person who is already suffering
    • David  •  Kremenchuk, Ukraine  •  3 months ago
      There but for the grace of God go many of us.
    • joyce anfield  •  Birmingham, England  •  3 months ago
      i feel so sad for every one involved in the crash ,
      being a bus driver my self i know how tireing driving long distance feels
      but there were two drivers on that coach why did he not swap over if he was tired
      smypahties to all involved
    • Andrew  •  Bradford on Avon, England  •  3 months ago
      Sympathy to all concerned but it will happen again, I have been a coach driver for many years driving all over Europe, and it can be a great job. But the responsibility far outweighs the rewards, people have been shocked to hear just how little wages are. The industry is killing itself, all cutting each others throats, almost buying work. I have done these ski trips, they are dangerous. The driver was probably doing nothing illegal, but if you feel tired you pull in and let the other driver take over. After all you can't just pull up at a hotel and check 50 kids in. These trips should be outlawed. Don't sent your kids on one, if you value their lives.
    • Bill  •  3 months ago
      A terrible tragedy. Driving through the night can't hep matters. It's not natural.
    • roland  •  3 months ago
      Been there!!! As a psv driver, as an adult accompanying school kids on a ski trip & as a ski tripper. The main factor here is MONEY! All three elements involve it (or at least the saving of it) and the "guilt" when something goes wrong should generally be equally shared by each party. My sympathy is with the relatives and friends of the victims who suffered for saving money by going by coach; my empathy is with the driver who was under pressure from his employers, passengars and his own family to "perform"; my understanding is with the company supplying the transport and drivers "at the lowest possible price and certainly cheaper than the next company.
      Its easy to blame the driver rather than identify all elements of individual greed in every party so please feel free to sit back and judge so that it can all happen (yet) again.
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