Twenty-eight people were killed and 19 injured late on Tuesday when a bus heading from the city of Yazd to the Iraqi holy city of Karbala fell into a valley.

Traffic Police Chief Mohammad-Hossein Hamidi, said the accident happened around 9 p.m., adding that 12 of the passengers died on the spot, ILNA reported.

The bus skidded off the road and fell into a deep valley. The driver appeared to have lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a turn.