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At least 27 people were killed and 17 injured in Mexico when a passenger bus careened off a mountain road and plummeted into a ravine Wednesday in the southern state of Oaxaca.
Images from the scene showed the mangled wreckage of the vehicle lying on its side at the bottom of a steep cliff as rescuers worked nearby, reports AP.
According to a preliminary toll, 27 people died and 17 injured were transferred to different hospitals in the region for medical attention.
An investigation has been launched into the cause of the accident, with early indications suggesting mechanical failure.
According to the civil protection agency, at least six of the injured were unconscious and in serious condition when they were rushed to hospital.
The bus, operated by a local transport company, had left the capital Mexico City on Tuesday night and was heading for the town of Santiago de Yosondua, authorities said.
"The driver of the vehicle presumably lost control... and unfortunately it fell into a ravine more than 25 meters (80 feet) deep," a state official, Jesus Romero, said at a press conference.
The company operating the bus provides a daily service from Mexico City, he said.
"We deeply regret the accident that occurred in Magdalena Penasco," Oaxaca state governor Salomon Jara wrote on social media, offering condolences to the families of the deceased.
"Our government personnel are already working on the rescue operation and to provide all the support to the injured people," he said.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
