At least 13 killed in US bus crash

NEW YORK (AA) – At least 13 people were killed Sunday and 31 others injured when a charter bus collided with a semi-truck in California, U.S. officials said.

The early morning crash occurred when the bus that was carrying casino-goers along Interstate 10 near Palm Springs, Riverside County, rammed into a big rig, which was pulling a trailer and traveling at 5 miles per hour due to traffic breaks caused by road work, according to a statement by the California Highway Patrol.

Injuries range from minor to major, according to the statement that said the driver of the semi-truck suffered minor injuries but there was no immediate information on the condition of the bus driver.

The cause of the accident is yet to be determined. It is unclear whether the driver suffered fatigue, was driving under the influence of alcohol or if some other factor contributed to the crash.

Local authorities have scheduled a press conference for Monday afternoon local time.