Office of the Premier / Education
Condolences on deaths of seven students and teacher (08/01/12)
NB 19
Jan. 12, 2008
FREDERICTON (CNB) -- Premier Shawn Graham and Education Minister Kelly Lamrock offered their condolences today following a fatal accident which claimed the lives of seven Bathurst High School students and one District 15 teacher.
"Like all New Brunswickers, I was shocked and saddened when I received word of this tragic accident," Graham said. "This is a sad day for the families, for the people of Bathurst and for our province as a whole."
"Our thoughts are also with the four others who were injured in this accident."
The accident involving a van carrying the Bathurst High School boys' basketball team and a tractor trailer occurred early this morning shortly after midnight on Route 8 outside of Bathurst.
"The Department of Education is working with the district and Bathurst High officials to ensure that they receive the support and resources they need to cope with this devastating loss," Lamrock said.
Bathurst High is open today with counselling services available to students.
"On behalf of all New Brunswickers, I extend our most heartfelt sympathies to the parents, families and friends and the entire community of Bathurst. Our thoughts and prayers are with you," the premier said.
08/01/12
New Brunswick's road network. Bathurst is located in the province's north coast on the Baie des Chaleurs. 
A deadly road crash in New Brunswick, Canada has claimed the lives of eight people near the city of Bathurst on Saturday. A van carrying 12 people was returning from a school basketball game in Moncton when it slid on an icy highway and collided with a semi-trailer truck.

Of the dead, seven were members of the Bathurst High School boys basketball team and the other was a teacher, the van driver's wife. The survivors are three teammates and a coach who was driving the van, all of whom were hospitalised at Chaleur Regional Hospital in Bathurst. The driver of the semi-trailer was uninjured. The crash occurred on New Brunswick Route 8 as it approached the junction with Route 11 into Bathurst.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressed his shock and condolences, describing the tragedy as "unthinkable". New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham also expressed his condolences.