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41 police officers killed in bus crash in Argentina

File photo shows firefighters putting out the fire of a wrecked bus that collided head-on with a truck near San Martin, Argentina. (AP)

At least 41 people have been killed after a bus carrying police officers fell off a bridge in northwest Argentina.

The incident took place on Monday morning as a convoy of three police buses was travelling near the city of Salta, which is about 1,500 kilometers north of the capital, Buenos Aires.

Police said in a statement that a driver of one of the buses lost control as the convoy was crossing the street, adding that the vehicle tumbled into a dry riverbed.

According to the report by The Associated Press, 41 people were killed in the incident. Some reports, however, estimated that about 30 people were killed in the crash.

The cause of the incident was not immediately clear. Reports say that the bus was carrying 60 police officers.

Gustavo Solis, the mayor of Rosario de la Frontera in Salta, said that the death toll might rise as some people were trapped in the wreckage.

According to Solis, local residents usually try to avoid driving on the road at night as it is in poor condition.

Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri expressed his sorrow over the accident and sent his condolences to the families of those killed in the crash.

"We need to improve our highways so these things don't keep happening," he said on the sidelines of a press conference in the capital.


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