4 dead, 35 injured after bus carrying Recreativo Huelva fans crashes

Four people were killed Wednesday when a bus carrying fans of Spanish first division club Recreativo Huelva to a league match with Real Madrid collided with a truck.

Photo: 4 dead, 35 injured after bus carrying Recreativo Huelva fans crashes

Another 35 were injured in the accident early in the morning on the A49 highway in Chucena, in the southern province of Huelva, the private Europa Press news agency said.

The bus, carrying 38 supporters, hit the truck, which had overturned and blocked the road.

Three men, including the bus driver, and one woman were killed. Twenty two passengers remained in hospital, news reports said.

The Spanish soccer federation refused a request by Recreativo to call off Wednesday's game, the teams' last of 2006.

However, the federation instructed both sets of players to wear black armbands and said the game _ and Wednesday's other six league games should be preceded by a minute's silence.

Recreativo president Francisco Mendoza said he wouldn't be attending the match at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

"It's a big tragedy and soccer matters the least at this time," Mendoza told Radio Marca.

Both Madrid and the Spanish Football League offered their condolences, reports AP.

Madrid announced on its Web site it would donate ticket proceeds from the match to the families of those killed and injured.

The club also said it would postpone plans for defender Fabio Cannavaro to display his recent awards for best world and European player to the crowd before the game.