Buses carrying Marines wreck in North Carolina

MAYSVILLE, N.C. — Authorities said three buses carrying Camp Lejeune Marines en route to Norfolk, Va., for training crashed today in eastern North Carolina, injuring nine Marines and one civilian.

A bus driver was critically injured and flown to a hospital after the wreck in Jones County, said Marine Corps Capt. Clark Carpenter. He said no Marines were seriously hurt.

Jones County authorities said the wreck occurred on U.S. 17 near Maysville, about 20 miles north of Camp Lejeune. Carpenter said investigators believe the third bus failed to stop for traffic and collided with the bus it was following.

Carpenter said 59 Marines and one sailor were scheduled to begin pre-deployment training exercises March 10.