JONES COUNTY, NC -- Three charter buses full of Camp Lejeune Marines crashed Thursday morning in Jones County.
The driver of one of the buses was airlifted to PCMH in critical condition. Fifty-nine Marines and one sailor were onboard the buses. Thirteen Marines were injured and taken to the Naval Hospital at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville for treatment. None of the injuries were life-threatening.
The Jones County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened on Highway 17 between Pollocksville and Maysville just before 8 a.m. Traffic on Highway 17 from Jacksonville is backed up for miles, according to WITN's Chelsea Donovan.
The Highway Patrol says the three buses were following a vehicle on Highway 17 when it stopped to make a left turn. Troopers say the first two buses stopped, but the third one did not and caused the chain reaction accident.
The buses were carrying Camp Lejeune Marines. School buses are on the way to pick up the Marines. There were reports a school bus may have been involved in the accident, but that is not the case.
The buses are from All Together Tours, which is based in the Halifax County town of Enfield.
Capt. Carpenter with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Lejeune says the Marines were headed to Norfolk today ahead of certification exercises scheduled to begin on March 10, in advance of deployment overseas this spring. Carpenter says the Marines would be training with Bataan Strike Group.
At least two Eastcare helicopters were at the scene. Troopers say the driver of the third bus was critically injured and airlifted to Pitt County Memorial Hospital.
The driver of one of the buses was airlifted to PCMH in critical condition. Fifty-nine Marines and one sailor were onboard the buses. Thirteen Marines were injured and taken to the Naval Hospital at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville for treatment. None of the injuries were life-threatening.
The Jones County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened on Highway 17 between Pollocksville and Maysville just before 8 a.m. Traffic on Highway 17 from Jacksonville is backed up for miles, according to WITN's Chelsea Donovan.
The Highway Patrol says the three buses were following a vehicle on Highway 17 when it stopped to make a left turn. Troopers say the first two buses stopped, but the third one did not and caused the chain reaction accident.
The buses were carrying Camp Lejeune Marines. School buses are on the way to pick up the Marines. There were reports a school bus may have been involved in the accident, but that is not the case.
The buses are from All Together Tours, which is based in the Halifax County town of Enfield.
Capt. Carpenter with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Lejeune says the Marines were headed to Norfolk today ahead of certification exercises scheduled to begin on March 10, in advance of deployment overseas this spring. Carpenter says the Marines would be training with Bataan Strike Group.
At least two Eastcare helicopters were at the scene. Troopers say the driver of the third bus was critically injured and airlifted to Pitt County Memorial Hospital.
