School Community Mourns as Three Hanover Students Killed in Crash, Fourth in Hospital
Three John Diefenbaker students are dead and a fourth is in hospital after a crash near Hanover on Nov. 11. The tragedy has deeply impacted the school and wider community.
A devastating crash near Hanover has claimed the lives of three students from John Diefenbaker Senior School and left a fourth in hospital with life-threatening injuries, marking yet another tragedy for the Bluewater District School Board and the wider Grey-Bruce community.
The collision occurred just before noon on Tuesday, November 11, on Concession Road 2 SDR near Allan Park Road in the Municipality of West Grey. Police say the vehicle was already engulfed in smoke when emergency crews arrived. Three teens were ejected from the vehicle. A fourth remained trapped and had to be extricated by first responders.
All four youths attended John Diefenbaker Senior School in Hanover and were between the ages of 15 and 17.
The fourth teen was initially taken to Hanover District Hospital and later airlifted to London by Ornge air ambulance. Their current condition has not been publicly updated.
School Board, Community Mourn
The Bluewater District School Board confirmed the students’ deaths in a statement on Wednesday and expressed deep sorrow for the families and the school community.
“Our priority is to support them and respect their privacy as they endure unimaginable grief and loss,” said Director of Education AJ Keene and Chair Jane Thomson in a joint statement.
Mental health professionals and members of the board’s Tragedy Response Team are on-site at John Diefenbaker to offer counselling and emotional support to students and staff.
The board acknowledged the broader impact of the tragedy, noting that other school communities in the region are also feeling the weight of this loss.
“For many of our students, staff, and families, we recognize that the shock and sadness they are experiencing may be compounded by recent tragedies that have occurred in some of our other schools,” the statement read. “Much like those situations, we know that these students had many close connections and will be sadly missed.”
Police Investigation Ongoing
West Grey Police are continuing their investigation into the crash. Const. Allyson Iles confirmed the details of the scene to CBC News and acknowledged the emotional toll on emergency responders.
“It was definitely a heavy day yesterday for all of our first responders,” she said. “There’s no better word for it than devastating.”
The crash comes just six months after another fatal collision involving four teens and a teacher from Walkerton, an incident that also deeply affected the region.
If you or someone you know is affected by this tragedy and needs support, local mental health services are available through your school, community agencies, or by calling 988 for immediate mental health crisis assistance.