Bus accident in the Dominican Republic kills 2 Canadian tourists and injures 13 others

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — A bus accident in the Dominican Republic killed two Canadian tourists and injured 13 others, authorities said Monday.

Eight of the injured are male and five female, between ages 37 and 72, the Dominican Republic’s National Health Service told The Associated Press. They said two injured passengers were transferred to a specialized trauma hospital given their condition.

The accident occurred Sunday night when the bus slid across a road in the popular tourist area of La Romana, east of the capital, Santo Domingo, according to authorities.

The tourists were traveling from the airport in Punta Cana to a hotel in the coastal town of Juan Dolio.

The Canadian Embassy to the Dominican Republic posted on social media that its staff were providing consular assistance to people affected by the accident but didn't give further details.

The Dominican Republic has one of the world’s highest traffic fatality rates, according to the World Health Organization.