Bus crashes off cliff killing 41 police officers

DOZENS of police officers have been killed after a bus plunged nearly 70 feet into a ravine. At least 41 cops died in the smash when the vehicle they were on flipped and tumbled from a bridge in Salta, Argentina. 

The packed bus is thought to have crashed when the driver lost control of the vehicle. 

Authorities say the crash happened early this morning. The doomed vehicle was part of a convoy travelling near the Argentine city of Salta, which is about 932 miles north of Buenos Aires. Emergency rescue workers are battling to reach survivors who are believed to still be trapped on board the bus, which was carrying about 60 people when it fell into the ravine.


The National Gendarmerie, a special police force which patrols Argentina's borders, said it was not clear what caused the crash. A spokesman said: "For reasons that are still unknown, the bus lost control while entering the bridge and fell into the creek bed below."

Horrific TV images showed rescue crews working around the overturned bus, which authorities said was carrying around 60 people. Gustavo Diaz, head of a group of volunteer firefighters in the area, said that 20 police were severely injured and were being treated in local hospitals. President Mauricio Macri sent his condolences to families of the victims of the crash.