Philippines: 11 killed in road accident

A Catholic nun and 10 other people were killed when the van they were riding in crashed into a bus in the southern Philippines, police said Friday.

Photo: Philippines: 11 killed in road accident

The van tried to avoid hitting a motorcycle that suddenly crossed its path on a highway in Panabo city Thursday, forcing the driver to swerve toward the opposite lane and into the oncoming bus, regional police chief Ricardo Quinot said.

Seven of the fatalities, including the van's driver and sister Mary Grace Parena of the Holy Cross College of Davao city, were killed and the others died on arrival at the hospital.

The motorcycle driver and at least 24 bus passengers also were injured, some seriously.

The highway in Panabo, about 950 kilometers (594 miles) south of Manila, runs through southern Davao del Norte province's agricultural and banana-growing areas where vehicles are known to travel at high speed, reports the AP.

I.L.