Bus crash kills 10 pilgrims in Russia

At least 10 people returning from a pilgrimage were killed on Sunday in a bus crash in Russia's far east, authorities said.

The bus, carrying 51 orthodox pilgrims who had been taking part in a procession at a monastery, overturned just before midnight local time on a motorway connecting the cities of Irkutsk and Chita, the emergency services ministry said in a statement.

"Ten people died and around 20 others were injured," Russia's Investigative Committee said.

The passengers were pilgrims returning from a visit to a convent in the region, the TASS news agency said, citing a local official.

Russia has a poor road safety record, mainly due to the poor condition of the roads and failure to follow traffic regulations.

Last year more than 20,000 people died in Russian road accidents, which was a 12 percent drop compared to 2015.