Church Van Crash Along Interstate 80 Injures 20

Church Van Crash Along Interstate 80 Injures 20
Children Injured When Van Blows Tire

POSTED: 6:16 pm CDT April 29, 2007
UPDATED: 8:57 am CDT April 30, 2007
OMAHA, Neb. — A church van filled with children crashed on Interstate 80 west of Lincoln Sunday, critically injuring several passengers in the vehicle.

Nebraska State Patrol troopers at the scene said the left rear tire blew out on the 1987 van. The vehicle rolled several times before landing in a ditch east of Seward on Interstate 80. The accident happened at about 2 p.m. Sunday.

The van was carrying 20 members of the Sudanese Evangelical Lutheran Mission of Omaha. There were two adults, and 18 children on board.

The State Patrol reported that three of the passengers were sent by helicopter to a Lincoln hospital with life-threatening injuries. Three more passengers were transported by ambulance with critical injuries.

The other 13 people injured also are being treated at hospitals with injuries not considered to be life-threatening, authorities said.

Troopers reported that many of the passengers were thrown from the van. The vehicle was equipped with seat belts, but troopers did not know if the belts were used.

The crash closed eastbound lanes of I-80 for more than two hours.

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