Ukraine lorry collides with minibus killing 14

Image source, Ukraine Emergencies Ministry

Image caption, Rescuers needed to cut victims from the wreckage

Fourteen people have been killed in a serious road accident in western Ukraine.

A senior regional official said the fatalities resulted from a lorry driving into oncoming traffic and colliding with a minibus.

Twelve passengers, including a six-year-old child, and the two drivers were killed, while one woman survived with serious injuries, officials said.

Criminal proceedings have been opened into the incident.

It happened near the village of Verkhiv, in Rivne region at about 15:45 local time (12:45 GMT), the head of the regional military administration, Oleksandr Koval, said on his Telegram channel.

Possible reasons for what happened are being investigated.

Pictures posted by the Emergencies Ministry showed wreckage of a vehicle in a field and a child's toy lying on the ground.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned it in his evening video address and sent his condolences to the loved ones of those who died.