At least eight people were killed and 46 injured, nine critically, in a motorway pile-up in south-west France early Sunday morning, officials reported. The prefect of Gironde, Alain Gehin, said the injuries of those in a critical condition were so serious that the "death toll will likely increase". A Spanish tour bus, three cars and a truck are believed to have been involved in the crash 40 kilometers south of Bordeaux. Seven passengers on the bus and the truck driver, a Moroccan national, died injuries. The 60 bus passengers were of Spanish, Portuguese and north African origin. The bus had departed Portugal and was returning to Paris. Witnesses said the truck was "completely overloaded" and part of the load had fallen off the roof causing the accident. The bus then tried to avoid falling objects, but swerved and overturned. Fire fighters spent hours removing the other occupants from the wreck with cutting equipment. "The bus was travelling at a normal speed," according to a witness. Initial reports said that 200 fire service personnel, two dozen ambulances and three emergency helicopters were at the scene of the accident, which took place at 4 a.m. (0200 GMT) on the A63 motorway between Bayonne and Bordeaux. French Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin expressed his condolences to the victims' families and called on all vehicle drivers to "drive with extreme caution" on the way home from holidays. The vehicles were all travelling in the same direction, police reported. The motorway has been closed in both directions.
