AT LEAST seven are dead and dozens are injured after a bus carrying football fans horrifically crashed on the way back from a match.
Supporters of the Corinthians were on board when the driver lost control while navigating a mountainous road in Brazil, police said.
The group were returning to the city of Taubaté after watching their team take on Cruzeiro in Belo Horizonte on Saturday evening.
Around 43 people were in the vehicle and en route home on Sunday night following the 1-1 draw in the Brazilian championship game.
Firefighters said that at approximately 2.50am, the bus lost its brakes and smashed into a ravine before flipping over.
Other reports claimed that the vehicle had tried to avoid a head-on crash with another bus.
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Witnesses claim the bus driver yelled out that he "had no brakes" before losing control of the vehicle.
Brazil's fire department said at least 36 people were injured, while 27 of them were rushed to hospital for treatment.
One was in a serious but non-life-threatening condition.
But seven Corinthians fans sadly passed away following the horror crash in the early hours of Monday morning.
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Fernando Frois, a lieutenant with the Minas Gerais firefighters, announced the deaths of seven passengers.
Brazil's President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, who is also a staunch Corinthians fan, paid tribute to the victims in an online post.
He wrote: "My condolences to the family and friends of the seven Corinthians fans who died in a disaster early this Sunday in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais.
"I hope for the recovery of the injured and for the investigation of the causes of the accident with the bus.
"We need peace and we need transport vehicles in good condition on the roads, because there is no way to recover lost lives."
The club also shared their sorrow in wake of the tragic news, promising to offer support to the victims' families.
A statement said: "Corinthians stands with the families of the deceased fans and remains available to support them, as well as other victims of the accident and authorities involved in rescue and recovery."
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
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