Two Dutch nationals have been killed and seven taken to hospital in Ecuador after the bus they were travelling in was involved in an accident with another vehicle on Sunday evening.

In total 21 Dutch nationals, aged between 41 and 75, were taking part in the group trip to the South American country. Four of the seven people taken to hospital have since been released but two of the injured are in a critical condition. A local man from Ecudador was also injured.

The two who died are a 74-year-old woman from Haarlem and a 73-year-old man from Hilversum.

Local media say the driver may have lost control of the wheel and then ploughed into another bus. Photographs show what appears to be a smaller bus which carried the Dutch nationals on its side, next to a larger, upright public transport bus.

The crash happened in the Amazon region of Ecudador, on the road to Baeza in Napo province.