国际英语新闻:13 students dead, 23 hospitalized in Spain's coach crash

BARCELONA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A total of 23 people remain hospitalized, three of them in critical condition, after a bus accident in northeastern Spain on Sunday killed at least 13 students.

According to the latest assessment by the Minister of Interior of Catalonia, Jordi Jane, 13 foreign students, all female, died in the accident which took place in the town of Freginals in the province of Tarragona, northeastern region of Catalonia. A total of 63 people were involved in the accident.

Most of the passengers on the bus were Erasmus students aged between 21 and 29. They were from 19 different countries in Asia, Europe, South America, the Middle East and Oceania.

According to Jane, forensic team will finish all autopsies on Sunday. Jane said authorities could help identify victims.

The bus, which was carrying 61 people, collided with a car and overturned. Two people on the car were injured. The accident occurred at 06:00 local time (0500 GMT) on the AP-7 highway.

Having 17 years' experience in driving, the bus driver had never had an accident. The driver had tested negative for alcohol and drug, according to the Superior Court of Catalonia. Investigations indicate the bus driver could have fallen asleep.

The bus belongs to the company Autocares Alejandro Tours (in Mollet del Valles, Barcelona). It traveled from Valencia to Barcelona transporting students who had been to the Fallas Festival in Valencia.

The trip had been organized by the association Erasmus Student Network (ESN) from the Universitat de Barcelona (UB).

Sunday's accident is one of the most serious crashes occurred in Spain involving a coach since July 6, 2000, when a bus collided with a truck leaving 28 dead and 13 wounded.