At least 16 people were killed and some 40 injured after a bus carrying Hungarian students burst into flames on a highway in northern Italy, police said on Saturday.
Girolamo Lacquaniti, head of highway police in the city of Verona, said most of the passengers were teenage students and others were teachers and parents.
He told SkyTG 24 television that the bus went off the road near a highway exit during the night. Television images showed the bus engulfed in flames.
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The website of Corriere della Sera newspaper said seven bodies had been recovered from the wreckage, but added that the death toll could climb, with a number of passengers missing.
Italian media said the bus had been carrying students from Hungary who were aged between 14 and 18, when it was involved in an accident on a motorway near the city of Verona.
The fire service said on Twitter that the bus had burst into flames. "There are many victims," it said.
Italy coach crash: at least 16 dead -UPDATED
21 January 2017
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A coach carrying school students crashed in northern Italy overnight and burst into flames, killing many people, the national fire service said on Saturday.
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