Skiers die in French coach crash

Rescue workers search for victims after a collision between a truck and coach

METZ, France -- Seven people died when a truck collided head-on with a coach of Dutch tourists who had been on a skiing trip, authorities have said.

The driver of the Italian-registered truck and his passenger died in the crash, along with the coach driver and four of the skiers.

The coach had been carrying about 60 tourists home to The Netherlands after a weekend in the ski resort of Valmorel in the French Alps.

Jean-Francois Raffy, an official in the regional prefecture, told The Associated Press that the authorities believed the truck driver "either fell ill or dozed off."

About 50 people suffered injuries in the crash near the eastern French city of Metz on Monday. Police initially said a fifth skier had died. Three of those injured were in a critical condition, the prefect's office said.

Police said it appeared the Italian tractor-trailer allegedly crossed over a divide on the A31 highway and hit the bus head-on.

French Transport Minister Jean-Claude Gayssot sent commiserations to his Dutch counterpart Tineke Netelenbos and issued a statement which said: "Without wishing to prejudice the results of the judicial inquest that will be held, the minister stresses the importance of a sustainable reduction in working hours."