Three people died and three others were seriously injured after a church van lost control and ran off the road Friday morning.
According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, a van from Faith Chapel Assembly of God traveling in southern Missouri lost control and ran off southbound Missouri Highway 13 just before 11 a.m. Friday.
The van overturned about five miles north of Bolivar and struck a tree. No other vehicles are believed to be involved.
The highway patrol said 13 people were on board. In addition to the three people who died, three other people suffered serious injuries and were taken to a hospital in Springfield. Seven others had injuries that were not life-threatening and were taken to a hospital in Bolivar.
A highway patrol spokesman said the dead included a 17-year-old girl from Stilwell, Kansas, a 16-year-old boy from Olathe, Kansas and a 14-year-old girl from Louisburg, Kansas.
A pastor at Faith Chapel Assembly of God said the group of 22 people – five adults and 17 kids in grades 7-12 – left Friday morning for an end of summer canoe trip. The group was planning to come back on Sunday.
Highway patrol officers are at the scene and attempting to reconstruct the accident.
