17 Feb 2012

Fatal bus crash

7:18 am on 17 February 2012

At least eight Palestinian children and a teacher have been killed in a collision between a school bus and a truck on the West Bank.

The bus was carrying up to 50 children to Ramallah in bad weather. It overturned on impact and burst into flames.

The BBC reports more than 30 children were injured and there are fears the death toll may rise.

President Mahmoud Abbas has declared three days of mourning and said all flags would fly at half-mast.

The lorry driver, an Israeli-Arab, was also injured.