FREE: Japanese teacher Hideaki Haniuda was among those rescued when a bus veered into a ditch near Monbulk last week.By SHAUN INGUANZO
MORE than 40 students and teachers were trapped when their bus veered into a ditch at Monbulk last week.
Students and teachers from Reservoir’s Lakeside Secondary College and approximately 16 Japanese exchange students were heading north along MonbulkEmerald Road at 2pm last Wednesday when their bus veered into a drainage ditch.
The bus came to rest on the roadside embankment blocking the bus door and leaving students and teachers trapped until Emerald and Monbulk emergency services arrived to free them.
Monbulk police Senior Constable Dave Creek said 42 occupants were onboard when the accident occurred.
Sen Const Creek said one boy managed to squeeze through a window, but others refused to follow when the bus weighed further into the ditch.
According to English teacher Hideaki Haniuda visiting Lakeside Secondary College from Inzai Junior High School in Japan, the busload of students were on their way to feed birds at the Dandenong Ranges National Park when the accident occurred.
Mr Haniuda said he was surprised when the bus ran into the ditch, but he said most people on board remained calm.
But for Lakeside Secondary College year 10 student Megan the accident was no easy ride.
She said students were talking on the bus when it unexpectedly lost control.
“We were on the bus talking, having fun and then we heard a boom, and a bang.
“Some people screamed,” she said.
“It was scary.”
No one was injured although ambulance crews were called to the scene. Sen Const Creek said a heavy haulage truck was called in to pull the bus out of the ditch.
CFA units then cleaned the mudcaked wheels before students and teachers reentered the bus and left the scene.
