18 confirmed dead after bus crash in Germany

World
Europe

Updated at 9:45 p.m. BJT

All 18 missing people are confirmed dead after a bus caught fire following a collision with a trailer truck in southern Germany on Monday, AP news agency reported citing local police.

"It's clear now that all 18 of the missing people on the bus died in the accident," according to Reuters news agency citing local police's tweet.

Two of the 30 injured were in a critical condition, said Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt at the scene.

German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt (C-L) and Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (C-R) visit the site of a bus crash. /VCG Photo

German Chancellor Angela Merkel described the crash as "terrible".

"Our thoughts are with the victims' relatives and we wish all of the injured a quick recovery, from the bottom of our hearts," said Merkel.

The local police said earlier that 18 missing people are feared dead and 30 injured in this crash.

"Thirty passengers were taken to hospitals, some with serious injuries. The others are believed to have died in the burning tour bus," the police said earlier in the statement.

/Reuters Photo‍

The tour bus, on its way to Nuremberg from the eastern region of Lausitz with 46 passengers and two drivers, collided with a trailer shortly after 7:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) in a traffic jam on the motorway A9 close to the Bavarian town of Stammbach.

The bus burst into flames and was completely gutted.

"The heat's development must have been intense because there is nothing flammable left on the bus. Only steel parts are recognizable so you can understand what that meant for the people in this bus," said Dobrindt.