AT LEAST 18 people have died and nine injured after a bus veered off the road and plummeted from a bridge into a river.
Emergency services were called to reports of the horrific incident late afternoon on Friday in the Mohammadia district of east Algeria.
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The bus was travelling in the El Harrach area when it swerved off the road and plunged into the Oued El Harrach river.
Victims were rushed to a local hospital, where two were treated for critical injuries.
Some 18 people are reported to have drowned, while nine were injured.
Civil Protection teams said recovery efforts went on into the evening as investigators assessed the incident.
Algeria;s Civil Protection Service said 25 ambulances, 16 divers, and four boats were deployed.
Local media suggested residents jumped into the ravine in a bid to rescue those involved in the crash before the Civil Defense crew arrived.
Footage shows dozens of emergency services vehicles crowded around the ravine as rescuers scour the water for victims.
Meanwhile, rescue teams are seen carrying parts of the dismembered bus out of the water.
The white vehicle appears battered with shattered windows and dislodged doors.
Officials have not yet determined the cause of the crash.
Road accidents are common in Algeria due to poor conditions, speeding and mechanical failures often leading to fatal incidents.
In 2023, a terrifying bus crash killed at least 34 people and injured 12 after a horror collision.
The bus crashed into a commercial vehicle and burst into a blaze of flames on a highway in Algeria.
The collision led to another bus and car catching alight, authorities in the region confirmed.
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