Bus Driver Abducts 51 Children, Sets Vehicle on Fire

Bus Driver Abducts 51 Children, Sets Vehicle on Fire
Firefighters stand by the gutted remains of a bus in San Donato Milanese, near Milan, Italy, on March 21, 2019. Daniele Bennati/ANSA via AP
The Associated Press
Updated:
MILAN, Italy—A bus driver in northern Italy abducted 51 children and their school chaperones Wednesday, March 20, threatening the hostages’ lives for 40 minutes and setting the bus on fire at a Carabinieri blockade.

Officers from the national police force broke windows at the back of the bus to reach the passengers and got all of them out without serious injuries before flames destroyed the vehicle, authorities said.