In Iran accident, bus plunges into ravine, killing 19 people

TEHRAN, Iran – A road accident in southern Iran has killed 19 people when a bus plunged into a ravine.

The official IRNA news agency says that at least 30 other passengers were injured in the accident early Wednesday, which took place on a major road linking the southern cities of Shiraz and Kerman. It happened around 1:30 a.m.

The report says the injured were taken to local hospitals.

IRNA says that an hour later, a bus flipped over on a road, also near Shiraz, injuring 47 people.

Iran has one of the world’s worst traffic safety records, with more than 400,000 accidents and nearly 18,000 deaths on its roads every year.

The high death tolls are blamed on unsafe vehicles, widespread disregard of traffic laws and inadequate emergency services.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.