Two schoolchildren and two adults have died after a train collided with a school minibus in the Belgian town of Buggenhout.

The crash happened shortly after 08:00 local time as the minibus was transporting pupils to a special education school, according to Belgian federal police.

Police spokeswoman An Berger said the vehicle was carrying seven children, along with a driver and a chaperone, when the collision occurred at a level crossing.

Berger explained that the driver had been travelling along a road parallel to the railway line before turning left onto the crossing while the safety barriers were already lowered.

A train passing through Buggenhout then struck the minibus.

Belgian mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke confirmed reports that the crossing barriers had been down at the time of the accident.

“My first thoughts are with the victims,” he said following the tragedy.

Images from the scene showed the heavily damaged minibus lying on its side near the railway tracks in Buggenhout, a town near Aalst northwest of Brussels.

Authorities said nobody aboard the train was injured, although one passenger was treated for shock.

Zuhal Demir described the incident as “heartbreaking news” and said her thoughts were with the victims, their families and everyone affected.

Ursula von der Leyen also reacted to the crash, saying: “Today, Europe grieves with Belgium.”

Global oil prices dropped sharply while Asian stock markets rose after growing optimism that the United States, Iran and Israel could move closer to ending their conflict.

Marco Rubio said during a visit to India that negotiators had “a pretty solid thing on the table” and suggested an agreement could potentially be reached on Monday.

Following the comments, global benchmark Brent crude fell 5.5% to $97.90 a barrel, while US crude dropped 5.9% to $90.93.

Earlier, Donald Trump indicated that a possible agreement would involve reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial shipping route through which about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass.

The strategic waterway has effectively remained closed since fighting began on 28 February, creating major disruption in global energy markets.

Rubio said negotiations were still ongoing and cautioned against assuming a breakthrough was guaranteed, though he acknowledged progress had been made.

Trump also said over the weekend that he held a “very good call” with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar regarding a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE”.

The US president stated that an agreement had been “largely negotiated” between Washington, Tehran and other involved countries, although final details were still being discussed.

Trump added that he also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and described the conversation as positive.

While Trump insisted any eventual deal would prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, he later warned that negotiators should “take their time and get it right”.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the positions of Tehran and Washington had moved closer in recent days, though he cautioned that major disagreements still remained.

Energy markets have experienced heavy volatility since early March after Iran threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in response to attacks by the US and Israel.

Despite Monday’s sharp decline, oil prices remain significantly above pre-war levels, with Brent crude trading around $70 per barrel before the conflict began.

Analysts say any agreement could help stabilise energy markets, although full recovery may take years.

Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Financial, said there was now “some light at the end of the tunnel” for oil markets, but warned that supply conditions could remain tight through 2027 due to the time needed to restore shipping routes, repair infrastructure and rebuild depleted global oil reserves.

Lars Jensen, chief executive of Vespucci Maritime and former Maersk director, said the shipping industry would still remain cautious even if a deal were announced quickly.

Marco Rubio says negotiators from the United States and Iran may reach an agreement as early as Monday, describing ongoing talks as having “a pretty solid thing on the table”.

Speaking during a visit to India, Rubio said discussions were still continuing but progress had been made.

The remarks came after Donald Trump said he had instructed negotiators “not to rush into a deal”, despite earlier suggesting an agreement was close.

According to reports, the proposed arrangement would include a 60-day ceasefire extension, the reopening of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, and further negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Rubio said the discussions involved Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global shipping route through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass.

Markets reacted positively to the reports, with oil prices falling sharply while Asian stock markets rose amid hopes of easing tensions in the region.

However, Rubio cautioned against assuming an agreement was guaranteed, noting that Washington was still awaiting a formal response from Tehran.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said over the weekend that both sides were simultaneously “very close and very far” from reaching a deal.

US media reports suggest the proposed agreement would not represent a final settlement but rather a temporary framework, leaving major issues for later negotiations. These include sanctions relief, the release of frozen Iranian assets and US demands aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities.

The reported deal has also exposed divisions among Republicans in Washington.

Ted Cruz criticised the proposal as “a disastrous mistake”, while Roger Wicker argued that a ceasefire would undermine the impact of Operation Epic Fury.

Lindsey Graham, a longtime Trump ally, also voiced concerns about any agreement that could leave Iran appearing dominant in the region.

“It makes one wonder why the war started to begin with,” Graham said.