Bulgaria bus crash- at least 46 killed: What you need to know

Picture courtesy: Reuters/BBC

A bus crash in western Bulgaria early Tuesday has killed at least 46 people, authorities said.

The bus, registered in North Macedonia, crashed around 2 a.m. and there were children among the victims, authorities said. Seven people were taken to hospitals for treatment.

The bus was mainly carrying tourists , who were returning from a trip to Istanbul in Turkey.

The cause of the crash was not immediately confirmed, but it appeared that the bus hit a highway guard rail, crashed and caught fire.

The mayor of the nearby village of Pernik told local media that the motorway was in poor condition on that section and there were often accidents in the area.

Officials said an investigation will be launched.

Bulgarian Caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev visited the site of the crash and told reporters it was "a huge tragedy."

The victims have not yet been officially named, but officials said they included children, and young people aged between 20 and 30.