Nine killed in bus accident in Morocco

A bus skidded off a treacherous mountain road in north-central Morocco, killing nine people and injuring 45 others, hospital officials in Meknes, near the accident site, said Saturday. The hospital officials said they were not authorized to give any more information about the victims. The accident happened outside the town of Khenifra late morning, apparently caused by high speeds and a mechanical problem, the official MAP news agency reported, citing unidentified local officials. Several ambulances were rushed to the scene to evacuate the wounded to Mohammed V Hospital in Meknes, the nearest large city, MAP said. It did not provide any details about the passengers.