12 killed, 16 injured as bus carrying oil and gas workers overturns in Iran

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At least 12 people were killed and 16 others injured after a bus carrying employees of an oil and gas company overturned in Iran's western Ilam Province late on Saturday, according to Iranian state media.The accident occurred on the road between Abdanan and Dehloran counties, near the Iraqi border, when the bus carrying employees of a natural gas liquids (NGL) company overturned, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.Behzad Nourmohammadi, governor of Abdanan County, told IRNA that the injured had been shifted to hospitals in Ilam, Dehloran, Dezful and Abdanan for treatment.

He said 12 rescue teams comprising 32 personnel were sent to the accident site.

The emergency response also involved six ambulances and six support and rescue vehicles.

Death toll could rise as authorities investigate

Authorities warned that the death toll could rise because some of the injured were in a serious condition.The cause of the accident was under investigation.Iran has a poor road safety record. Traffic accidents claimed nearly 20,000 lives in the 12 months to March, according to figures released by the official Iranian Legal Medicine Organization in June.