Six people were killed and 16 others were injured yesterday when a small bus carrying funeral goers overturned in the eastern province of Malatya. The cause of the accident is not known, but authorities suspect road conditions, which were slippery after a spell of rainfall, might be to blame.

Most aboard the bus were relatives of Şerife Alptekin, a 90-year-old woman. The body of Alptekin, who died in Istanbul, was also in the bus, and the passengers were planning to bury her in her hometown, Malatya. Kaya Akgül, a relative of the victims, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the bus was allocated for the family by Ümraniye municipality of Istanbul and had a substitute driver who took the wheel shortly before entering the province. He said three among those killed in the accident were grandchildren of Alptekin. Officials told reporters that the 16 people injured in the accident were still being treated at hospitals in Malatya and that some were in critical condition.

Every year, traffic accidents take an emotional and financial toll on Turkey despite safety measures. Official figures for 2017 show that 7,427 people died in more than 1.2 million accidents, and 300,383 people were injured. Reckless driving and negligence in regards to traffic safety rules were the main factors in most accidents.