Schoolgirls frantically pulled their friends from the wreck of a bus after a truck with faulty brakes careened into the vehicle, amid fears fuel spilled from the accident would spark a blaze.

Brett Michael Russell crashed his truck into the bus carrying students from Loreto College in Ballarat who were on their way to Melbourne Airport for a once-in-a-lifetime NASA camp in the United States in September 2022.

Truck driver Brett Michael Russell has faced court over the bus crash in 2022. Credit: Jason South

The 63-year-old yesterday pleaded guilty in the County Court of Victoria to a dozen charges, including 10 counts of negligently causing serious injury and two of conduct endangering persons.

He admitted to injuring 27 students, four school employees and the bus driver, and enda

See Full Page