The incident at 9.35am in the outside lane of the westbound carriageway near junction 4, for the M3, saw a huge emergency response.
It is understood that the sole person injured was the driver of the left-hand school coach. Police officers, ambulance crews and recovery vehicles were stopped in the outside lane at the crash near Southampton Airport.
Shortly after the crash, around 30 children were seen standing together on the motorway’s outside lane between Junctions 5 and 4.
Emergency workers surrounded the group as they awaited collection. Another vehicle, operated by Eastleigh firm Xelabus, soon arrived to collect them from the roadside.
Pictures seen by the Echo showed the youngsters huddled together surrounded by emergency services workers.
One driver who witnessed the aftermath of the crash told the Echo he saw a “school coach into the back of a lorry – three other vehicles on the side of the road and another one further up that looked like something had gone up the back of it”.
A coach and tipper truck have crashed in the outside lane on the M27 between Junction 5 and 4 westbound. (Image: Submitted)
A motorist passing the scene at the time said the driver of the left-hand drive coach was “pinned” in when he passed the incident.
Authorities have closed lanes three and four westbound. Traffic was crawling at 11mph following the crash.
National Highways says the collision should be cleared between 2pm and 2.15pm, with normal traffic conditions expected to return by around the same time this afternoon.
Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh Liz Jarvis said she was concerned by the incident.
She said: “I am concerned to hear about the crash on the M27 near Southampton Airport and am monitoring the situation closely.
“I would like to thank the emergency services for their swift response and my thoughts are with everyone impacted by this incident.”
A spokesperson said: “There are expected to be delays on the M27 while the affected vehicles are recovered.”
A police spokesperson said: “We were called at 9.35am with reports of a three vehicle collision on the M27 westbound involving a car, a coach and a tipper truck near junction 4.
“The coach was carrying a number of children, none of whom were injured.
“An adult on the coach sustained a minor leg injury.”