Nine dead as tanker truck plows into bus parked on roadside (Photo)

Zhytomyr police

A tanker truck hit a passenger bus on Kyiv-Chop highway in Zhytomyr region overnight Monday, leaving nine passengers dead.

The DAF truck driver, 55, and another nine passengers of the bus were rushed to a nearby hospital with various injuries, Zhytomyr police say.

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The accident took place as the Yaremche-Zhytomyr charter driver, 66, was changing a flat tire after parking the bus on the roadside.

Traffic  police and local detectives are working at the scene to establish all circumstances of the deadly crash.

A criminal investigation has been launched.

Zhytomyr police