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Police: Two dead in crash involving Lenape swim team bus

The driver of a Volkswagen Passat and his passenger were killed in Southampton Township late Tuesday afternoon when their car crashed head-on into a school bus carrying the Lenape High School girls' varsity swim team to a meet, according to New Jersey State Police.

The driver of a Volkswagen Passat and his passenger were killed in Southampton Township late Tuesday afternoon when their car crashed head-on into a school bus carrying the Lenape High School girls' varsity swim team to a meet, according to New Jersey State Police.

Eight of the 20 students on the bus were taken to Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly and treated for minor injuries, police said.

The two dead men were not identified, pending family notification, state police said.

The car was apparently traveling at high speed and may have been passing other cars at the time of the crash, around 5 p.m., Sgt. Joseph Little said. He said the vehicle crossed into the bus' lane.

The crash occurred on two-lane Pemberton Road near Ridge Road, in a rural section of the Burlington County township. Sgt. C. Billings said the road was slick from drizzle.

The Lenape Athletics Twitter account said that Tuesday was opening day for the swim team and that the squad was scheduled to compete against Seneca High School that evening. The Olympic Conference, of which Lenape and Seneca are part, said the meet had been slated for 5:15 p.m. at Rowan College at Burlington County in Pemberton Township.

At Virtua Memorial, about a dozen parents, school officials, and students who were on the bus gathered in the emergency room Tuesday night. Some were wearing the team's red sports jackets.

One parent said the students mostly had bumps and bruises. She declined to comment further. School officials and several other parents declined to comment.

Lenape's girls swim team's Twitter account, @lgswimming, posted Tuesday night: "Girls, words do not express how grateful I am that we are all ok. I love you all so so so much."

Athletes at Seneca, including swimmers and football players, encouraged students via social media to wear red Wednesday in support of Lenape's swim team.

The investigation into the accident was continuing.

jhefler@phillynews.com

856-779-3224 @JanHefler