Bus crash kills 'at least 12'

A bus collided with a car in central Portugal and rolled down a slope today, killing at least 12 people, authorities said.

The bus flipped over several times, Alzira Serrasqueira, the governor of the Castelo Branco region, told Portuguese state television RTP.

At least 24 people were hurt, five of them seriously, RTP reported.

Castelo Branco is about 200km northeast of Lisbon.

The accident occurred after dark, at around 8pm, Serrasqueira said. She said it was not immediately clear what caused it, but police were investigating.

Most passengers on the bus were elderly Portuguese returning to Castelo Branco after a day-trip to the coast and to a Roman Catholic shrine in Fatima, RTP reported.

Television footage showed the bus upright in a grassy area next to the highway, its roof crushed. Several bodies lying nearby were covered with blankets.

Local officials could not immediately be reached for comment.