At least 33 people were killed and eight seriously injured when a bus burst into flames after colliding with a truck near the southern Moroccan city of Tan-Tan on Friday, a local official said.

"We have many completely carbonised bodies. Authorities have been in contact with the bus company to identify the victims" said Benmane Fadli, regional director of the transportation ministry.

The bus was heading from the capital Rabat to Laayoune in Western Sahara.

Road accidents have been on the rise in Morocco since car ownership nearly doubled in the last 15 years. Official statistics say an average of 10 people die every day in traffic accidents.

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