17 persons, mostly pupils, die as school bus swept away by flash floods in Jordan

Flash floods in Jordan swept away a school bus Thursday, killing at least 17 people, mostly pupils, emergency services said, as Israel sent forces to help with rescue operations. At least 25 more people were injured in the incident near the Dead Sea, said an official from the civil defence — Jordan’s fire service — who asked not to be named. “Heavy rains caused a flash flood close to the Dead Sea that washed away a school bus carrying 37 students and seven minders,” the official said.

Most of those killed and injured were pupils, and rescue workers were continuing to search for survivors, he said.

“The students were on a school trip and it appears that a mudslide along the road swept their bus away,” the official said.

France 24