A bus carrying dozens of elementary school students crashed and caught fire just outside the Thai capital Bangkok.
According to the country’s Transport Minister, 16 children and 3 teachers are believed to have escaped, but 22 students and 3 teachers have not been found.
Officials said they found 10 bodies on the bus, according to BBC Thailand.
Pictures show the bus completely destroyed by fire. According to local media, investigators were reportedly unable to get into the car because of the heat.
The bus was one of three carrying students and teachers returning from a school field trip in the northern province of Uthai Thani.
Transport Minister Suriyahe Juangroongruangkit said the bus runs on compressed natural gas.
“This is a very tragic incident,” Mr. Suriyahe told reporters at the scene.
“The ministry must find a solution… if possible, ban passenger vehicles like this from using this type of fuel because it is extremely risky,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Thai Prime Minister ordered ministers to visit the scene.
“As a mother, I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of those who died,” Paetongtarn Shinawatra said.
“The government will be responsible for all medical expenses and compensation for those who died,” she added.
A rescue worker said in footage broadcast on local television, the bus was traveling on the highway into Bangkok when a tire burst, causing it to crash into a barrier.
Video from the scene showed flames engulfing the bus as it burned under the overpass, huge plumes of thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
It’s unclear how old the children on the plane were, but the school has students from 3 to 15 years old.
Thailand has one of the world’s worst road safety records, with unsafe vehicles and poor driving contributing to a high annual death toll.
