Investigators from the California Highway Patrol and the National Transportation Safety Board are trying to determine the cause of one of Southern California’s deadliest crashes in recent years.
A tour bus slammed into the back of a truck killing 13 and injuring another 31 on Interstate 10 close to Palm Springs early Sunday.
The bus driver was also killed.
CHP Border Division Chief Jim Abele said the bus hit the truck in a ‘substantial impact.’
"Because of the impact where the bus entered the back of the big rig, the majority of the people who were killed were in the front section of the bus," Abele said, adding that most of the passengers were likely asleep at the time.
Authorities have not disclosed identities of those killed and injured but many are thought to be foreign nationals.
The bus was operated by Los Angeles-based USA Holiday Bus, and the driver was thought to be the owner-operator of the small business.
CHP officials said the bus had been inspected three times since 2014 and no mechanical faults were found.
