Bus, tanker truck crash in South Russia - 19 killed, 30 injured

At least 19 people were killed and about 30 injured when a bus collided with a tanker truck in southern Russia's Rostov Region, an emergencies ministry spokesman said.

ROSTOV-ON-DON, July 24 (RIA Novosti) - At least 19 people were killed and about 30 injured when a bus collided with a tanker truck in southern Russia's Rostov Region, an emergencies ministry spokesman said.

The Kamaz truck crossed into the opposing lane and collided head-on with a Mercedes bus at 12:48 Moscow time [8:48 GMT], some 60 km from the regional capital, Rostov-on-Don.

"The bus turned into a pile of scrap metal," a spokesman for the police department said. "The injured have been taken away by ambulance, a search for other survivors is underway."

No fire occurred as the tanker truck was empty.