Four passengers were taken to hospital following the single vehicle collision which happened on Ballyblack Road East in Carrowdore, just outside Newtownards, on Monday afternoon.
The bus was transporting Strangford College pupils to Bangor when it crashed into a field shortly after 4pm.
Dylan Lee (12), one of the 44 passengers, was sitting on the top deck with a friend at the time.
Luckily both escaped serious injury.
His mother, Stacey Lee, was among the distraught parents who rushed to the scene after her son phoned her.
“I could hear him screaming that he had crashed and I could hear all the kids in the background screaming,” she said.
“It was awful.”
The year eight pupil described how “the bus hit a post and it started to stall and went down this hill”.
“It just started shaking,” Dylan added.
“I closed my eyes and then I opened them and I was on the floor.
“The first thing I did when I got up was to phone my mum.”
The youngster, who has been left with a lump and a cut on his head, then recounted having to “crawl under stuff like railings and school bags” after a local man rushed over with a hammer and began smashing windows before dragging children to safety.
Another eyewitness described the scene as being “like a battlefield” as they broke down and cried about the impact on all those involved.
Footage circulating on social media shows the Translink vehicle tipped over on its side in a field with a shattered windscreen while young people are being treated by paramedics.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) declared a major incident and initially said up to 70 people were onboard.
However, that number was subsequently revised down to 44, including the driver.
In an update on Monday evening, the NIAS said it had “stood down” the major incident after patients were assessed and treated at the scene with four “currently requiring further treatment at hospital”.
“The remainder have either been, or are in the process of being assessed with a view to discharging at the scene,” a spokesperson added.
It’s understood one child was initially trapped in the vehicle after their arm became stuck and another as a result of their leg being stuck.
NIAS despatched multiple resources to the scene including doctors, emergency crews, advanced paramedics, rapid response paramedics, ambulance officers and the air ambulance resulting in a backlog of 999 calls.
A spokesperson said the service would remain busy “for many hours” as they urged the public to use the emergency number “wisely” and “be patient if you really need to call us”.
Meanwhile, police appealed to motorists to avoid the area and put diversions in place following the crash.
(PA Graphics)
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said five appliances and the specialist rescue team attended the scene.
Strangford MP Jim Shannon praised the emergency crews and expressed relief that no one was killed.
“It’s been a really harrowing experience for these children,” he added.
“While the injuries may not be life-threatening, we are still not aware to what extent people have been hurt and I would ask people to be mindful of that.”
Local councillor Robert Adair, who has spoken to a number of parents and police, described the incident as “every parent’s worst nightmare”.
“A child’s journey to and from school always causes worry and this is just horrendous,” he said.
“I am asking everyone to pray at the current time while emergency services deal with this clearly very serious situation.
“I am also appealing to drivers to give crews the space they need by staying away from the area.
“My heart goes out to everyone affected – the children, their families and of course the bus driver.
“This has really, really shaken the entire community.”
Translink confirmed the bus was transporting pupils from Strangford College to Bangor at the time of the crash which happened just after 4pm and said it is assisting the PSNI with their investigations.
“Our thoughts are with all those involved in this incident,” a spokesperson added.
It is understood that parents of uninjured children received telephone calls advising them to collect their kids from a local police station while a number of others were advised to go to the local hospital.
The South Eastern Trust initiated a major incident response as Emergency Department staff at the Ulster Hospital prepared to treat anyone in need of care.
It appealed to any patient not requiring emergency care to use alternative services before confirming it had also stood down the response.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said his thoughts are with all of those affected and their families following the “shocking incident”.
“I know I am speaking for the entire community in expressing my gratitude for the fast and efficient way in which they responded, and for their expertise and professionalism,” he added.
