Jordan bus crash kills 52

AMMAN, Jordan -- A bus carrying pilgrims returning from Mecca has careered off the road and exploded into flames in southern Jordan, killing 52 people.

The accident happened on the highway outside Jordan's southern port of Aqaba at about 8 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) on Friday, a civil defence spokesman told The Associated Press.

The driver lost control of the bus on a bend in the road coming out of the mountains above Aqaba, the spokesman said.

The bus left the road and smashed into a truck depot where it collided with several refrigerator trucks, he said.

The bus exploded in a fireball and all 52 people on board were killed.

Most of the pilgrims were thought to be Egyptians intending to take the ferry from Aqaba to the Egyptian Red Sea port of Nuweiba.

They been on a pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians are estimated to have gone to Mecca during the current holy month of Ramadan, most by land through Jordan.

The spokesman said the accident appeared to have been caused by brake failure.

He said the bodies would be returned to Egypt by ferry later on Friday.