Several Suffolk Public Schools students suffered injuries early Friday morning after a bus heading to John F. Kennedy Middle School went into a ditch.

Three students were taken to Sentara Obici Hospital with minor pain or injuries, according to a city news release. Two additional students were taken to Sentara Obici by their parents, according to SPS spokeswoman Bethanne Bradshaw.

The SPS Transportation Department notified Emergency Communications of the accident at 7:12 a.m. when the bus swerved to avoid hitting an animal and went into a ditch in the 300 block of Babbtown Road, according to the news release and Bradshaw.

No injuries were reported at the time of the call, the release stated, but several children complained of minor arm and leg pains moments after Suffolk Police arrived.

At that point, Suffolk Fire and Rescue crews were also sent to the site of the accident, the news release stated.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Bradshaw said all families of the students on the bus were contacted personally, and students who were not injured were taken to school on a different bus. She said school administration and transportation staff were at the scene to assess students.