Romanian police say that nine people died on Sunday in two separate road accidents. It was one of the highest daily tolls for traffic deaths in the East European country which has the highest number of traffic deaths in the European Union.
Seven people died after a car collided with a minibus on Sunday morning on a highway in eastern Romania.
Emergency officials had to cut the minibus roof to rescue the victims. Local authorities have triggered a red alert during the post-crash operation.
The victims were five adults and two children, spokesman for the emergency services Andrei Grecu said.
Another five people were transported to the Emergency Hospital in the eastern city of Bacau, he told Agerptres news agency.
He said four adults in the bus died, and an adult and two children travelling in the car also died.
The road was closed in the area. There were no further details about the accident which happened on a sunny Sunday morning.
Eleven ambulances were sent to the scene.
Two people died and five people were injured in a separate traffic accident western Romania on Sunday. A child was among the dead.
The crash occurred when two cars collided near the village of Biharia on a national highway, the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations said.
Romania has the highest number of traffic deaths in the EU.
More than 1,800 people died in road accidents in 2019. Excessive speed is the main cause. Failing to give priority to pedestrians crossing the road, and illegal overtaking maneuvers are other reasons.
