Buggenhout prepares for major memorial event one month after bus disaster, with King Filip and Queen Mathilde attending

Buggenhout, Belgium – The community of Buggenhou is preparing for a significant memorial event one month after a devastating bus accident claimed lives. The ceremony, moved indoors to the local church due to heat, will accommodate up to 400 people, with others able to follow via a large screen outside.

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We are not letting anyone go in Buggenhout. That is the message I want to give tonight, in my speech.

King Filip and Queen Mathilde are scheduled to attend, a presence Mayor Geert Hermans described as a great support for the grieving community. "We are not letting anyone go in Buggenhout," Hermans stated, emphasizing his message for the evening. The accident site at a railway crossing remains adorned with flowers and tributes, though the heat is causing them to melt.

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It is an honor that they are coming here. That is a great support for our community.

The memorial aims to honor the victims, their families, and the first responders, but also to support the residents of Buggenhout who are still deeply affected. "We still talk about it here every day," said the mayor. "No one will ever be able to drive past that crossing like before, carelessly."

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No one will ever be able to drive past that crossing like before, carelessly.

Following the mayor's speech and a minute of silence, the school director for the two deceased students will also speak. Afterward, survivors, neighbors, and first responders will gather for a more intimate session, where the King and Queen will also be present, to discuss their questions and begin the healing process. The municipality has already arranged psychological support for those affected, with ten people currently receiving therapy.

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I want to make it clear tonight that we are not forgetting anyone. The victims, the bereaved, the first responders, but certainly not the inhabitants of Buggenhout.