At least 17 people were killed and 20 others injured when a school bus carrying children and adults plunged off a cliff in northern Colombia. The bus was travelling from the Caribbean town of Tolu to Medellin when it crashed.

In a post on X on Sunday, the governor of Antioquia, Andres Julian said the bus was carrying students from the Liceo Antioqueño High School. "So far, more than a dozen people are reported deceased and 20 injured. The entire hospital network has been activated to attend to and support this emergency," Julián wrote in Spanish. The students had been celebrating their graduation on the beach.

Julian added: "It's very hard news for the entire community during the time of December." The incident occurred around 5.40am on a road connecting Remedios and Zaragoza, in the El Chispero area, according to El Colombiano.

Initial reports suggest the vehicle, which had been carrying 45 passengers, rolled approximately 80 metres down a ravine.

The cause of the crash were not immediately clear.

The bus driver, identified locally as Johnatan Taborda, was among those killed.

Expressing their condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues Antioquia tourism network mourned his death.

The school clarified that the outing was not an official school activity and had been organised independently by the students.

Segovia Mayor Edwin Castañeda said the injured victims, aged between 16 and 27, were taken to hospitals in Segovia and Remedios.

Sixteen injured people, including four adults and 12 teenagers, were admitted to the San Vicente de Paúl Hospital in Remedios.

The Antioqueño High School issued a statement on its social media channels, saying: "We deeply regret what happened to our students and their families.

"Students from the graduating class of 2025 who participated in the graduation trip, we embrace them in this moment of great sorrow and offer our support to our entire community."

The school also updated its profile picture to a black ribbon, in memory of the victims of the bus crash.