At least 20 people died today after a coach crashed off an overpass near Venice in northern Italy. 

The coach veered off the road and fell close to railway lines in the district of Mestre – connected to Venice by a bridge – but the cause of the accident remains unclear, Italian news agencies reported. 

Eighteen bodies have so far been dragged from the wreckage after the coach caught fire, including two children. 

Mayor of Venice Luigi Brugnaro posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘A huge tragedy struck our community this evening.’ 

He added: ‘An apocalyptic scene. I am speechless.’ 

The coach veered off the road and fell close to railway lines in the district of Mestre – connected to Venice by a bridge

The bus was said to be carrying tourists from Eastern Europe from Venice back to their hotel at Marghera just minutes away from the crash site. 

Nearby Hospitals went into ’emergency mode’ and an urgent appeal for blood donors was issued as Italian TV showed a fleet of ambulances and fire engines at the scene. 

Interior minister Matteo Piantedosi told a rolling news network:’The bus has fallen 30 metres and caught fire and what worsened the situation was that it was biomethane powered.’ 

Shocking footage posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, shows the vehicle in flames which huge plumes of smoke rising into the air while onlookers watch in horror. 

Images show crowds of emergency services attending the crash which has so far seen around 20 people dead. 

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.  

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