SAO PAULO (AP) — A passenger bus in northeastern Brazil crashed into a sand embankment and flipped on its side, killing at least 17 people, authorities said Saturday.

The bus was carrying about 30 passengers, police said. The number of injured, who were taken to nearby hospitals, was not immediately clear. The vehicle crashed in Saloa, a city in the state of Pernambuco, and was bound for the city of Brumado, in the neighbouring state of Bahia.

Police said the driver lost control of the bus, crossed into the opposite lane and hit rocks on the roadside. He then returned to the correct lane but crashed into a sand embankment, causing the vehicle to overturn.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. The driver suffered minor injuries and tested negative for alcohol, police said.

Bahi

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