TWIN LAKES, Iowa — A bus transporting the baseball team from Iowa Lakes Community College crashed and flipped into a ditch in rural Iowa on Wednesday, officials reported, resulting in one fatality and injuries to all 32 other individuals on board.
The incident occurred in the morning with the Iowa Lakes Community College bus being the sole vehicle involved, according to the Iowa State Patrol. The crash took place on a highway close to Twin Lakes, approximately 110 miles northwest of Des Moines.
Three individuals were airlifted to trauma centers in Des Moines, stated Bruce Musgrave, director of emergency services in Calhoun County. Additional victims were transported via ambulance to four nearby hospitals.
The Iowa Lakes baseball team (1-3) was set to compete in games at North Arkansas College beginning Thursday, but all four matches have been canceled. The institution is part of the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference, which expressed its “heartbreak” upon learning of the bus crash.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the student-athletes, coaches, staff, families, and the entire Iowa Lakes community during this profoundly challenging time,” the conference remarked in a statement.
The cause of the bus accident remains unclear, and the Iowa State Patrol is conducting an investigation.
Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.
