Twenty-two people killed in Russia bus accident

A TV grab from Russian NTV channel taken yesterday shows wreckage of a bus after it collided with a train at the crossing in Russia's southern province of Krasnodar. At least 22 people died and six were injured when a train collided with their bus in southern province of Krasnodar, prosecutors said. PHOTO: AFP

"The number of dead has already reached 22," the Russian prosecutor general's office said in a written statement.

The casualty figure could rise further as a spokeswoman for Russia's emergency situations ministry said up to 40 people may have been on the bus.

The bus belonged to Russky Standart, a vodka producer, and was transporting factory workers, according to prosecutors.

"According to preliminary information the driver of the bus failed to let the train pass at an unguarded railway crossing," said the prosecutors' statement.

An emergency situations ministry official said the cause of the crash may have been thick morning fog in the area.

Prosecutors have opened a criminal inquiry into the accident.