A bus headed for Switzerland crashes off a German highway, killing 4 people

BERLIN (AP) — Four people were killed Wednesday when a bus headed from Berlin to Switzerland drove off a highway in eastern Germany and ended up on its side, police said.

The accident happened on the A9 highway near Leipzig at about 9:45 a.m, less than two hours after the bus left Berlin. It was en route to Zurich and operated by Flixbus, the dominant long-distance bus operator in Germany.

Police initially said that at least five people were killed, but later revised the figure to four. They said a person initially reported to them as dead was in a life-threatening condition.

Six people were seriously injured and 29 lightly injured, they said. Many people were taken to nearby hospitals.

There were 54 people on board the bus at the time of the crash, including two drivers — a 62-year-old from the Czech Republic and a 53-year-old from Slovakia.

The cause of the accident wasn't immediately clear. Police said there was no indication that any other vehicle was involved, and the driver wasn't among those killed.

Police officers stand by a tent at the scene of the accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday March 27. 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

Police said late Wednesday they couldn't yet give information on the ages and nationalities of the victims, and that the identification of the dead hadn't yet been completed.

They said they have opened an investigation on suspicion of negligent manslaughter.

The A9 is a major north-south route that links Berlin with Munich. The accident happened on a straight stretch of the road just north of a highway interchange at Schkeuditz, next to the Leipzig/Halle airport.

The highway was fully reopened Wednesday evening, nearly 12 hours after the crash.

The luggage of the passengers involved in the accident are still on the bus at the scene of the accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday March 27. 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

A view of the bus at the scene of the accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday March 27. 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

A view of the bus at the scene of the accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday March 27. 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

Police officers stand in front of the bus at the scene of the accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday March 27. 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

A view of the bus at the scene of the accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday March 27. 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

Emergency vehicles and rescue helicopters are seen at the scene of the accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday March 27, 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

Emergency vehicles and a rescue helicopter work at the scene of the accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday, March 27. 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

A rescue helicopter from the German Air Rescue Service (DRF) is in action over the scene of the accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday, March 27. 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

A coach lies overturned on its side at the scene of an accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday March 27. 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

A coach lies overturned on its side at the scene of an accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday March 27. 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

Emergency vehicles and rescue helicopters are seen at the scene of the accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday March 27, 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

Emergency vehicles and rescue helicopters are at the scene of the accident on the A9, near Schkeuditz, Germany, Wednesday March 27. 2024. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A driver died after crashing a vehicle into a gate at the White House Saturday night, authorities said.

The driver was found dead in the vehicle following the crash shortly before 10:30 p.m. at an outer perimeter gate of the White House complex, the U.S. Secret Service said in a statement.

Security protocols were implemented but there was no threat to the White House, the agency said.

The driver was not immediately identified.

The Secret Service will continue to investigate the matter, while turning over the fatal crash portion of the investigation to the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, the agency said.

FILE - The White House is visible through the fence at the North Lawn in Washington, on June 16, 2016. A driver died Saturday night, May 4, 2024 after crashing a vehicle into a gate at the White House, authorities said. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)