Bulgaria bus crash leaves 45 dead Officials work at the site of a bus crash, in which at least 45 people were killed after the vehicle caught fire, on a highway near the village of Bosnek, south of Sofia, on November 23, 2021. (DIMITAR KYOSEMARLIEV/AFP via Getty Images)
By Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
SOFIA, Bulgaria — Dozens of people are dead after a bus crashed and caught fire in Bulgaria early Tuesday, authorities said.
According to The Associated Press and Reuters, the incident occurred about 2 a.m. on a highway near Bosnek. The bus, which was carrying tourists from North Macedonia, struck a barrier and caught fire, authorities said.
At least 45 people died in the crash, and seven others were treated at nearby hospitals, the AP reported. Twelve of the dead were children, according to Reuters.
“I take this opportunity to send my condolences to the relatives of the victims,” Caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev told reporters, according to the AP. “Let’s hope we learn lessons from this tragic incident and we can prevent such incidents in the future.”
Photos: Bulgaria bus crash, fire leave dozens dead Firefighters and forensic workers inspect the scene of a bus crash which, according to authorities, killed at least 45 people on a highway near the village of Bosnek, western Bulgaria, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. The bus, registered in Northern Macedonia, crashed around 2 a.m. and there were children among the victims, authorities said. (Minko Chernev/BTA Agency Bulgaria via AP)
Photos: Bulgaria bus crash, fire leave dozens dead Firefighters and forensic workers inspect the scene of a bus crash which, according to authorities, killed at least 45 people on a highway near the village of Bosnek, western Bulgaria, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. The bus, registered in Northern Macedonia, crashed around 2 a.m. and there were children among the victims, authorities said. (Minko Chernev/BTA Agency Bulgaria via AP)
Photos: Bulgaria bus crash, fire leave dozens dead A motorway is cordoned off after a bus, seen at center, crashed overnight near the village of Bosnek, western Bulgaria early Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. A bus carrying North Macedonians home from a tourist trip to Istanbul crashed and caught fire in western Bulgaria early Tuesday, killing at least 45 people, authorities and local media said. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova)
Photos: Bulgaria bus crash, fire leave dozens dead This image made from video provided by Nova TV shows emergency service workers beside a burnt out bus after a crash in Bosnek, Bulgaria, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. A bus crash in western Bulgaria early Tuesday has killed dozens of people, authorities said. (Nova TV via AP)
Photos: Bulgaria bus crash, fire leave dozens dead In this image made from video provided by Nova TV, a burnt out bus is seen after a crash in Bosnek, Bulgaria, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. A bus crash in western Bulgaria early Tuesday has killed dozens of people, authorities said. (Nova TV via AP)
Photos: Bulgaria bus crash, fire leave dozens dead Firefighters and forensic workers inspect the scene of a bus crash which, according to authorities, killed at least 45 people on a highway near the village of Bosnek, western Bulgaria, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. The bus, registered in Northern Macedonia, crashed around 2 a.m. and there were children among the victims, authorities said. (Minko Chernev/BTA Agency Bulgaria via AP)
Photos: Bulgaria bus crash, fire leave dozens dead Firefighters and forensic workers inspect the scene of a bus crash which, according to authorities, killed at least 45 people on a highway near the village of Bosnek, western Bulgaria, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. The bus, registered in Northern Macedonia, crashed around 2 a.m. and there were children among the victims, authorities said. (Minko Chernev/BTA Agency Bulgaria via AP)
Photos: Bulgaria bus crash, fire leave dozens dead This image made from video provided by Nova TV shows road signs and police roadblock near scene of bus crash in Bosnek, Bulgaria, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. A bus crash in western Bulgaria early Tuesday has killed dozens of people, authorities said. (Nova TV via AP)
Photos: Bulgaria bus crash, fire leave dozens dead North Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, left, and Bulgarian Caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev hold a press conference in Sofia, Bulgaria, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021 after a bus crash which killed at least 45 people, according to authorities, on a highway near the village of Bosnek, western Bulgaria. The bus, registered in Northern Macedonia, crashed around 2 a.m. and there were children among the victims, authorities said. (Tsvetomir Petrov/BTA Agency Bulgaria via AP)
Photos: Bulgaria bus crash, fire leave dozens dead North Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev speaks to media as he arrives to visit injured passengers at a hospital in Sofia, Bulgaria, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021 after a bus crash which killed at least 45 people, according to authorities, on a highway near the village of Bosnek, western Bulgaria. The bus, registered in Northern Macedonia, crashed around 2 a.m. and there were children among the victims, authorities said. (Vladimir Shokov/BTA Agency Bulgaria via AP)