Police in the eastern German state of Saxony said at least four people were killed in an accident involving an intercity bus near the city of Leipzig on Wednesday. 

Rescue helicopters and numerous ambulances were seen in the area, and the A9 autobahn, which links Berlin and Munich, was closed in both directions.

More than 20 people were injured when a coach veered off the motorway. The injured were taken to hospitals in the area. 

The coach was operated by German company Flixbus, which is particularly popular among young people and students due to its cheap ticket prices. 

What we know about the accident

The bus was headed from Berlin to Zurich with about 53 passengers and two drivers on board.

The vehicle left the road just north of an interchange at Schkeuditz, next to the Leipzig/Halle airport, at about 9.45 a.m. local time (0845 GMT).

"Several people were fatally injured in the serious accident on the A9 highway. There are numerous casualties," police in the state of Saxony said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Other passengers were reported to have been injured. The coach was said to have veered off the highway and crashed onto its side for unknown reasons.

"The exact circumstances of the accident are not yet known," said Flixbus.

"We are of course working closely with the local authorities and the emergency services on site and will do everything in our power to clarify the cause of the accident quickly and completely," the company said.

According to media reports, no other vehicle was involved in the incident, suggesting a possible technical or human error. 

Martin Dulig, transport minister for the state of Saxony, expressed his sympathy for those affected. "My thoughts are with the families of the victims and injured," said Dulig.

"I would like to thank the many emergency services that provided help quickly."

By early afternoon, the highway was reopened for traffic headed in the direction of Berlin. All injured people were taken to hospitals, some of them by helicopter, said DW's reporter in Berlin Alex Gerst.

rc/wmr (dpa, AFP)