Eight people were in the bus that drove off a bridge and plunged 75 meters into a river.

The driver and a passenger were rescued by the emergency services and taken to hospital.

The rescue work was suspended during the night of Sunday due to bad weather but was able to resume on Christmas morning.

One of the dead was found in the bus while the others were found in the Lérez River.

The accident occurred on a steep slope, which made the rescue work more difficult, the Spanish Civil Guard says.