Tourists die in Rome bus plunge

The crash happened on a winding road on Rome's outskirts

Twelve Turkish tourists have been killed after their bus careered off a road into a ravine in Rome.

Almost 20 others among the tour party were hurt, at least four seriously, and were taken to hospital for treatment.

Rescue workers worked through the night to remove people from the wreckage of the vehicle.

The bus was said to be carrying about 30 people. One report said they were Turkish car dealers returning from a dinner in central Rome.

The crash happened late on Monday, police said.

Site visit

The bus apparently failed to negotiate a bend in the road descending from Monte Mario, one of the hills in the Italian capital, AFP news agency said, citing rescue services.

Other reports said it plunged over the edge, falling about 20m (66ft) into the garden of a home in north-western Rome.

The Turkish ambassador to Italy and the mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni, visited the site of the crash on Tuesday morning.

Italy's Ansa news agency said the Italian bus driver was among the four who were critically injured.

It said the bus was one of eight carrying a total of about 350 Ford car dealers from Turkey, who had come to Italy for a conference.