At least 15 people were killed after a passenger bus overturned in the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco, police and local media reported on Saturday.

The Federal Highway Police said the driver lost control of the vehicle, which veered into the opposite lane and overturned, causing significant damage and multiple casualties.

Authorities confirmed that 30 people were on board at the time of the crash. Among the dead were 11 women and four men, police said in a preliminary statement.

The bus was traveling along a highway in the state's rural interior when the accident occurred. Rescue teams and investigators were dispatched to the site to assist survivors and assess the cause.

Officials said the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, though early indications suggest the driver may have been speeding on a wet or uneven section of the road.

Brazil's national transport authority reported that the country has one of the highest rates of fatal road accidents in Latin America, with thousands of deaths each year due to poor road conditions and driver fatigue.

Authorities have urged transport companies to enhance safety standards and enforce rest-hour regulations to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

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