At least 10 people were killed and dozens more injured Tuesday when a tour bus carrying French tourists crashed on a highway in California, hospital officials said.

At least 10 people were killed and dozens more injured Tuesday when a tour bus carrying French tourists crashed on a highway in California, hospital officials said.[Xinhuanet.com]

Eight people are in critical condition and all the injured are being treated at a hospital near Soledad, about 200 kilometers south of San Francisco, local television station KSBW quoted hospital officials as saying.

The crash occurred at about 3:20 p.m. on the U.S. 101 highway when the day-night tour bus carrying 48 French tourists heading from San Francisco to Santa Maria overturned in Soledad, with three or four passengers ejected from the bus, officials said.

"We had a tour bus traveling south on Highway 101, crossing thorough the city of Soledad," said Brian West of the California Highway Patrol. "The bus overturned and passengers were ejected."

At least 10 people were killed and dozens more injured Tuesday when a tour bus carrying French tourists crashed on a highway in California, hospital officials said.[Xinhuanet.com]

Crash victims were brought by helicopters to Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, which is asking for French speakers, according to KSBW.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2009)