Up to 49 people have been killed in a lorry and bus crash near Bordeaux in southwest France.
Reports say there are only eight survivors of the head-on collision - most of the victims are believed to be elderly people going on a day trip to Bearn.
The impact was so fierce that both vehicles burst into flames.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and 60 firefighters were working on the blaze.
Three of the survivors are seriously hurt, while the other five have minor injuries, the reports say.
Those who survived managed to escape after breaking windows.
Both the bus and the lorry drivers are reported to be among those who died.
The crash reportedly happened around 7.30 am in the town of Puisseguin, about 20 minutes into the trip.
The bus left the village of Petit-Palais in the early morning, heading towards the Landes area of France.
Reports say the lorry was loaded with wood.
President Francois Hollande who is in Greece said the French government was "totally moved by this terrible tragedy".
It is France's worst road accident since 1982 when 53 people, including 44 children, died in Beaune in Cote-d'Or.
(Sky News)
No comments:
Post a Comment