More than 40 people killed in French bus crash

[Anthea]

BBC News

More than 40 pensioners among those killed in French bus crash

More than 40 pensioners on an excursion have been killed after their bus crashed with a truck on a country road in south-western France.

The collision happened near Puisseguin in the Gironde wine region, east of Bordeaux, not long after the bus had set off from a nearby town.

French President Francois Hollande tweeted the government "is fully mobilised on this terrible tragedy".

This is the worst French road disaster since one in 1982 when 52 people died.

According to French media, the crash happened at around 07:30 local time (05:30 GMT) on a single carriageway road just outside the village of Puisseguin.

The force of the impact caused both vehicles to ignite.

At least 41 passengers on the bus and the driver of the lorry died in the blaze. Only eight people managed to escape, five of whom are injured.

A large number of those on board the bus were reported to have been members of an elderly people's association in the nearby town of Petit-Palais-et-Cornemps.

The cause of the crash is not yet clear. One local resident told TV channel iTele the scene of the crash was a notorious danger spot.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls, along with the interior and transport ministers are expected to go to the scene.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34613637