At least 23 people were killed after a bus and a truck collided head-on along the BR-373 highway in Brazil’s southern state of Parana early Wednesday, according to the Federal Highway Police.
Five other people were injured in the crash, which occurred at around 3am local time (6am GMT).
Most of those killed were travelling on the bus, while the truck driver was also among the fatalities, police said.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the truck had crossed into the opposite lane before colliding with the bus.
The bus was operated by the Imbituva municipal health department and was travelling to hospitals in the Parana capital, Curitiba, about 180km away.
Imbituva, a city with a population of around 30,000, declared two days of official mourning following the tragedy.
The BR-373 highway remained closed following the crash, with road operator Via Araucaria saying there was no immediate estimate for when the route would reopen.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deadly collision.
