13 killed in Russian road crash

A crowded minibus and a car collided on a highway in central Russia today, sparking a powerful fire and killing 13 people travelling in the vehicles.

The Gazel minibus – a model that has been involved in several fatal crashes in recent years – collided with a Volkswagen on a road linking the Volga River cities of Ulyanovsk and Kazan, national traffic police official Andrei Silkov said.

Officials said 11 of the 13 people aboard the minibus were killed, along with two people in the Volkswagen.

Two passengers in the minibus were injured, including one woman who was hospitalised in critical condition.

Some of the people in the minibus died as a result of the fire.

A spate of deadly accidents near involving Gazels last year raised concerns about the safety of the Russian-made minibuses, which are widely used by private companies that run them along municipal and commuter bus routes as well as on intercity trips.