SAO PAULO, Jan 2 (Reuters) – A head-on collision between a bus and a truck left at least 11 people dead on Friday in southern Brazil, the country’s Federal Highway Police said in a statement.

Another seven people were injured in the accident, which took place on a federal highway in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul around 11:30 a.m. local time (1430 GMT), and were sent to hospitals, the police said.

Part of the truck’s sand cargo ended up inside the bus as a result of the crash, making it difficult for rescuers to access the vehicle, the police said.

(Reporting by Andre Romani; Editing by Sarah Morland and Chris Reese)