Jade Etheridge, a 28-year-old ambulance worker and mother of two, sprang into action after witnessing a bus crash into the muddy banks of the River Itchen near her home in Bishopstoke, Hampshire.
On a Thursday morning, Jade noticed a crowd gathered by the railings overlooking the river. Approaching the scene, she saw the bus had veered off the road and come to rest partially submerged in shallow water.
The vehicle was carrying 19 sixth form college students—two of whom were seriously injured, while 15 others sustained minor wounds.
Without hesitation, Jade made her way down to the riverbank, where she found several teenagers had managed to open the bus’s back door. She immediately began triaging and treating the injured as the bus slowly sank into the mud.
“‘The bus driver, bless him, was shouting for help,’ Jade recalled.”
“He was up to his chest in mud, lying sideways out of his seat,” Jade said. “Nearby, a teenage girl was screaming. I’m not sure if they managed to push the bus door open, but I knocked on the back and called out, ‘Someone, help me up!’
“I was sinking into the mud myself when I heard a boy upstairs shouting that they were trapped and someone was injured.”
A bystander with no medical training quickly grabbed a first aid kit and climbed aboard to assist.
Jade directed those who could walk and talk to get off the bus, carefully checking each student as they exited.
“They had bumps, bruises, and bloody noses. I checked everyone — some had serious head injuries, and one boy had what looked like a dislocated arm.”
Five students remained on board, receiving Jade’s immediate attention before being taken to hospital.
“When I first stepped onto the bus, there was just a puddle of water,” said Jade, a 28-year-old 111 Team Leader with South Central Ambulance Service. “By the time I was getting off, it was up to my shins.”
“It was a sinking bus. The water wasn’t deep, but it was freezing, muddy, and we had nothing but a basic first aid kit to help these kids.”
The bus driver reportedly blamed the crash on a mechanical fault, claiming the accelerator had jammed while he was driving.
Jade decided to speak out after seeing what she called “silly comments” online, choosing instead to highlight the bravery of others.
“The man who stepped in to help was incredible, and the kids were fantastic — they stayed calm and did exactly what was needed. They deserve to be recognised for that.”