Byala, Bulgaria,

Wednesday

AT least 29 people were killed in Bulgaria's worst bus crash when a

Turkish coach and truck collided and plunged into a river, police said

today.

Police said 47 people were on board the bus which was travelling from

Romania -- 40 Romanians, three Turkish drivers, three tourists from the

former Soviet Union and one unidentified passenger.

Hospital officials in Byala, 137 miles north-east of Sofia, said

another 18 people were injured. Four of them critically.

The number of injured increased when another heavy Turkish lorry

slammed into a crane set up on a narrow bridge to lift the wreckage out

of the water.

The Bulgarian operator of the crane and the Turkish driver of the

second lorry were also taken to hospital.

''All three vehicles are Turkish registered -- the coach, the lorry

with which it collided and the next heavy truck which slammed into the

crane,'' said a police officer.

Rescue efforts were being hampered by the cold river water where the

wreckage was submerged.--Reuter.