29 people die after gasoline tanker explodes on colliding with bus in Mexico

At least 29 people were killed and eight injured after a bus crashed into a fuel tanker in south-western Mexico. The accident on Thursday (13 April) took place in the state of Guerrero as the passenger vehicle was making its way to the coast.

Having left the port of Lazaro Cardenas, the tanker was transporting approximately 40,000 liters gasoline when it reportedly swerved on the Siglo 21 freeway in Petacalco, moving on to the opposite lane. It crashed into the bus head-on and exploded. Reuters reported that according to one unnamed official, some of the victims were severely burned.

According to Mexico News Daily, 38 people were on board the bus, including a family travelling to the Las Peñitas beach for the Easter vacation. Eight survivors, including two children are receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

"We managed to get to some people, among them children, who we were able to get out of there thanks to the expertise of one of the relatives accompanying the driver," commander of Michoacan State Firemen's Association, Jorge Ostria told reporters.

The cause of the collision has not been made clear as of yet, but according to Sky News, some survivors said that prior to the explosion, they felt an impact in the back of the bus.