Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
San Luis (Agenzia Fides) - Argentina is in shock after the tragedy that occurred yesterday, November 2, near San Luis, which caused the death of six girls between 10 and 11 years of age, and two teachers. According to information gathered by Fides, shortly before noon 49 people were traveling on the bus, some girls from the St. Mary Catholic School in San Luis and teachers, were hit by a freight train carrying coal, at the crossroads on the Provincial 3 street, in San Luis, near the town of Zanjitas. It had to be a day dedicated to solidarity and spiritual encounter, because the students were heading towards Cazador, about forty kilometers from the capital city San Luis, to bring food and clothing for the children of the only school of Cazador, in a very poor area.
The priest Daniel Perez, who was traveling in a car in front of the bus, said that he only heard a terrible noise "something unbelievable", he said. The nun who was with the girls does not know how she managed to get out from under the bus, the train dragged her for about 150 meters.
The Bishop of San Luis, Mgr. Pedro Martinez, immediately went to the hospital in San Luis, where some of the girls were taken and said that they were happy to participate in this mission and to help those who are very poor. "If I had a miraculous word to comfort the families, I would say it, but we are all very upset because we are talking about children", said the Bishop, asking the press to respect the grief of the families in this tragedy that the whole country is taking about. Police are investigating into how the the accident happened, hypothesizing a bus failure that stopped just as it was crossing the tracks. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 03/11/2011)
