Bus crashes on highway in northern India, killing 29 people

A government official says a speeding bus has overturned and plunged into a roadside drain in northern India, killing at least 29 people on board.

State government spokesman Awanish Awasthi says most passengers were sleeping when the crash occurred on Yamuna Expressway early Monday near Agra in Uttar Pradesh state. The bus was on its way to New Delhi from Lucknow, the state capital.

Awasthi said 18 passengers have suffered injuries in the crash, AP reports.

The cause of the crash is being investigated, he said.

India has the world's deadliest roads, with about 150,000 killed and 470,000 injured annually. Most crashes are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.