At least 9 dead, number of injured climbs as bus, truck collide in Russia's Volga region
MOSCOW/KAZAN. December 3. KAZINFORM At least nine people died and another 32 injured, with seven in critical condition, in an accident involving a bus and truck in Russia's Volga region, aide of the Russian Health and Social Development minister Sofiya Malyavina said on Friday, Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.
Earlier on Friday, it was reported that 26 people were injured in the accident.
The accident occurred at 5:35 a.m. Moscow time [02:35 GMT] and involved a bus carrying employees from a company in Elista to Kazan and a truck carrying sunflower seeds.
"The number of injured is 32 people, seven of them are in critical and extremely critical condition," Malyavina said.
There were no children on the bus.
All of the injured have been taken to hospitals and an investigation into the cause of the accident has been started.
According to preliminary investigation, the driver of the bus was responsible for the accident after crossing into the oncoming lane.
According to statistics, 30,000 people lose their lives in traffic accidents every year in Russia due to the poor state of highway networks and reckless driving, Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru