Coach crash kills 38 in southern Italy

（Xinhua）  14:22, July 29, 2013  

ROME, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A tourist bus crashed through a highway guardrail in southern Italy Sunday night, killing 38 people and putting at least 10 others in critical condition.

The accident happened near the city of Avellino in Campania region at around 8:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT), when the bus carrying 48 tourists from nearby towns ran over some cars and plunged almost 30 meters off the highway, local media reported.

The bus tore away large chunks of concrete barriers as well as guardrail and landed in a ravine.

Local Fire Department commander Alessio Barbarulo told Xinhua that 36 passengers were killed at the scene and two others died in hospitals. Most victims were reportedly found inside the bus while a few others were pulled out from the wreckage.

Rescuers lined up bodies of the victims, covered by white sheets, along the road. The bodies were taken away in coffins later.

The driver was reported to be among the dead, while 10 others including three children were seriously injured and being treated at local hospitals.

Seven or eight cars were reported to get caught up in the accident. Barbarulo told Xinhua that all passengers in the cars had survived the deadly crash.

Firefighters and medical teams were still working at the scene early Monday.

The accident is still under investigation. Italy's ANSA news agency reported that the bus might have brake problems and witnesses said the driver appeared to have lost control of his vehicle when the crash happened.

Italian media reported that the section of the road where the accident happened is a downward slope that is already a highway black spot.