Major crash involving four buses carrying soldiers injures 36 near Mantes-la-Jolie

A serious traffic accident occurred on the A13 near Mantes-la-Jolie, France, on Wednesday evening, involving four buses carrying military cadets and another vehicle. At least 36 people were reported injured, including one in critical condition, while two others suffered serious injuries. The incident, which involved approximately 119 individuals, has been classified as a mass-casualty event by local authorities, prompting a significant emergency response with around 50 firefighters and multiple medical teams dispatched to the scene. The cadets were returning from a seminar at the Evreux air base when the crash occurred, reportedly triggered by a light vehicle attempting to navigate between the buses. France's Minister of the Armed Forces expressed his thoughts for the injured and their families, while traffic on the busy motorway was reduced to a single lane for the rescue operations. The exact cause of the collision remains under investigation.