Twelve people were killed in central France when the minibus they were riding in collided head-on with a truck shortly before midnight.
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“The twelve passengers of the minibus, a priori all of Portuguese nationality, died”, said the prefecture in a statement, confirming a report in the local press.
The victims are believed to be Portuguese, the authorities said. Witnesses told police the minibus had swerved over to the other side of the road and into the truck.
The two Italian drivers in the truck were both unhurt.
French interior and transport ministries said the crash occurred on a National Route highway near the small town of Montbeugny, just over 300 kilometres (about 185 miles) south of Paris.
Locals have nicknamed the motorway “the road of death” because of the number of accidents on it.
“They’ve been talking about adding a second lane for 40 years”, he added.
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The local village hall has been turned into a temporary morgue.
