A mother from Sapotaweyak Cree Nation expressed that her 16-year-old daughter faces a challenging recovery journey after sustaining fractures in a school bus accident on an icy Manitoba highway. The incident occurred as the bus was en route from Sapotaweyak to Swan River schools, resulting in the rollover of the bus just south of Mafeking on Highway 10. RCMP indicated that initial findings suggest the driver lost control while attempting to overtake another bus, with collision experts currently investigating the matter.
Of the individuals involved, four people, including three teenagers and one adult, sustained significant but non-life-threatening injuries and were transported by air ambulance to the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg. Other injured passengers received medical attention at the scene and were subsequently taken to a hospital in Swan Valley, where the families and caregivers of the students gathered following the incident.
Christa Copapay shared that her daughter Kylee suffered two fractured vertebrae in the crash, emphasizing the long road to recovery ahead. Copapay rushed to the scene upon learning of the accident, expressing her initial fears as a parent and relief upon finding her daughter safe, albeit in pain and feeling dizzy. Kylee and other students were taken to the Swan River hospital for treatment.
Amidst the emotional turmoil experienced by many parents, Copapay highlighted the need for enhanced safety measures on school buses, advocating for the inclusion of seatbelts to protect the precious cargo they transport. Frank Gott, a teacher at Chief Charles Audy Memorial School, witnessed the bus from Sapotaweyak veering off the road while passing a bus from his own school, prompting him to question the absence of seatbelts on buses and suggesting it may be time for change.
During a separate news conference, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew described the rollover as a frightening event and expressed openness to discussing the potential requirement of seatbelts on school buses in the future. He stressed the importance of gathering all relevant information before proposing definitive solutions in response to the incident. This conversation is further fueled by recent efforts by the Opposition Progressive Conservatives to introduce a bill advocating for mandatory seatbelt use on new school buses in the province.