15 killed in bus accident in Russia

A total of 15 people were killed on Thursday in a collision of a bus and a truck in central Russia, local authorities said.

The accident took place at 17:56 p.m. Moscow time (1456 GMT) on a highway connecting the cities of Yoshkar-Ola and Kozmodemyansk in the Russian Republic of Mari El, Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situation said in a statement.

According to updated information, 14 people were killed at the scene of the crash and one woman died on the way to hospital, Interfax news agency reported, citing the republic's Interior Ministry.

Rescue teams sent by the Emergencies Ministry and other emergency response services were working at the scene, the statement said.

All those injured were hospitalized, it added.

An investigation into the accident was underway, but local police believed heavy snow may have caused the collision.