130 students stranded for hours along I-4 after bus breaks down

Group was headed back to New York after trip to Disney competition

ORLANDO, Fla. – One-hundred-thirty New York high school students spent the night stranded in buses along Interstate 4 in Orlando after one of the vehicles broke down.

[PHOTOS:  Students spend night on buses stranded on I-4]

The students, who attend Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn, were returning home from a Disney Music Festival competition when one of the three buses broke down around 1 a.m. Monday on I-4 near State Road 535.  Assistant principal Tom Oberle, who was on one of the buses, decided to keep the group together.

Coach USA sent a worker to repair the bus, but he couldn't fix it, officials told Local 6.  A replacement bus didn't arrive until eight hours later.  The group departed after the students and their luggage were transferred to the new bus.

"It's frustrating because we (were) here all night without sleep wondering when the bus is coming," Oberle said.

Oberle said parents called him about the safety of their children.

"The frustrations are when I called dispatch and I didn't get any answers as far as when they were sending a new bus," Oberle explained.

Oberle said, however, that the bus drivers did their best to keep the students safe and comfortable.

Coach USA later released a statement about the incident.

"The school administrator who was on board was provided with continuous updates throughout the night.," said Sean Hughes, associate director of corporate affairs for Coach USA.  "We sincerely apologize to all affected for the inconvenience. Safety is our No. 1 priority."

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