At least 21 killed in bus overturn in southern Iran

At least 21 people have been killed in a bus overturned in southern Iran, local media reported today.

The state news agency IRNA reported that 21 people have been killed so far, while 34 people have been injured after the incident in the southern city of Shiraz, in Fars province.

The head of the emergency services for the region, Masoud Abed, said rescue operations were underway and the cause of the bus overturning was being investigated.

Iran is one of the countries with the highest number of traffic accidents in the world, killing around 17.000 people annually.

The causes of the large number of victims are believed to be the use of old and faulty vehicles, as well as the inadequate work of emergency services.