Eleven Die in Brazil Bus Plunge

A bus plunged into a ravine in a mountainous area of Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state on Monday, killing 11 people and injuring eight others, firefighters said.

The vehicle, which had about 30 passengers on board, collided with a car, before plummeting into the ravine, according to the Globo channel's G1 website.

"Emergency personnel came to the aid of 19 people -- 11 of them are dead," a fire department spokeswoman said.

The bus had left the mountainous Teresopolis area and was headed to Rio de Janeiro, 80 kilometers (50 miles) away.

Authorities have launched a probe into the accident, but according to G1, the bus's brakes may have failed on a downward slope.

The injured were taken to three area hospitals for treatment.