VERONA: Sixteen people died when a coach bringing Hungarian teenagers home from a skiing trip crashed and burst into flames on a northern Italian motorway overnight, authorities said on Saturday.

It appeared the death toll from the tragedy near Verona at around 11pm could have been much worse had it not been for the bravery and quick thinking of a teacher.

Emergency workers said that the bus carrying 56 people returning from France, most of them teenagers aged 14-16 as well as several teachers and two drivers, ploughed into a bridge pillar.

A huge inferno very quickly engulfed the bus, dramatic pictures released by police showed, completely destroying the interior and reducing the vehicle to a burned-out wreck.

Some were killed when they were hurled from the coach on impact, but most of the victims were found badly charred inside the vehicle after being unable to escape in time.

The Hungarian government said that three people were in a very serious condition, including one in an artificial coma. Ten more were seriously hurt and 13 had minor injuries.

All were being treated in nearby hospitals. Twelve others who were not hurt were receiving counselling at a hotel in the vicinity.

“These were children. It’s the hardest thing to take. Everyone thinks of their own,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, fighting back tears, told a news conference in Budapest.

“Of course the Hungarian government will do everything necessary to ease the families’ pain.”

Girolamo Lacquaniti, Verona traffic police chief, said on radio that no other vehicle was involved, pointing to mechanical failure or human error such as the driver falling asleep.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2017