Germany: Bus bursts into flames after collision with truck, 18 dead

4 July 2017 3:51 PM IST

Among the deadliest in recent years was a collision in June 2007, when 13 people were killed as their tour bus drove off the road.

17 people were feared dead after a tour bus burst into flames following a collision with a trailer truck in southern Germany on Monday.
The accident struck near the town Bayreuth, which draws thousands of classical music lovers every summer to its opera festival.
If those missing are confirmed killed, the accident at the start of the summer holiday season would be one of the worst to hit Germany.
An emergency team, including firefighters and rescue workers, were at the scene, while traffic on the motorway was halted in both directions.
According to the Bild newspaper, the coach was travelling from the eastern region of Lausitz and heading for Nuremberg.
Some 31 injured people were pulled out of the bus. Images on television showed only a charred skeleton of the bus remaining.
The bus carrying 46 passengers and two drivers rammed into the trailer in traffic jam on the motorway A9 close to the Bavarian town of Stammbach.
There was 'only a glimmer of hope' that 17 people missing after the collision would be found alive outside the coach

17 people were feared dead after a tour bus burst into flames following a collision with a trailer truck in southern Germany on Monday.

Among the deadliest in recent years was a collision in June 2007, when 13 people were killed as their tour bus drove off the road.