JAKARTA, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- At least four people have been confirmed dead following a tragic highway accident on Monday afternoon in the Indonesian province of East Java, local authorities told local media.

The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. local time on a highway in the city of Malang, involving a touring bus and a truck.

According to Malang Police Chief Putu Kholis, the bus was carrying a group of senior high school students from Bogor in West Java. The crash was likely caused by the truck, which experienced brake failure while navigating an uphill section. As a result, the truck suddenly reversed and sped out of control, colliding with the rear of the bus.

Kholis further said that the bus was fatally damaged and rescuers continued to evacuate other victims still trapped inside the bus.

"The injured were immediately taken to the nearby hospital," he said, adding that an investigation is underway for the cause of the accident.

Deadly road accidents are common in the Southeast Asian country due to overloading, poor road conditions, and reckless driving. ■