Bus crash in resort town kills 14

An overnight bus on its way to a ski resort in central Japan careened off a mountain road early on Friday, killing 14 passengers and injuring 27 others.

Fire and disaster management officials said the bus veered into the opposite lane near the famous resort town of Karuizawa, in Nagano prefecture, rammed through a guardrail and slid a short distance down the mountainside. TV footage showed the bus resting on its side against some trees, bent in the middle.

The chartered bus was carrying 41 people, including two drivers and 39 passengers, when it crashed at the Usui mountain pass heading to the popular Kita Shiga ski area. The drivers, who were taking turns, were among the dead.