Polish relatives of bus crash victims arrive in Germany

Relatives of the 13 Polish victims of the weekend's lethal bus crash in Berlin arrived in Germany on Monday, DPA reported.

As well as the dead, the collision between the Polish bus and a German car left 38 injured.

The relatives were being given psychological counselling before visiting family members being treated in hospital, police said.

Four people were still in a critical condition, of whom three were being kept in an artificial coma, according to Polish Health Minister Ewa Kopacz. Of the injured, six had already been able to return home.

The accident occurred in heavy rain early Sunday as the Polish bus was returning from Spain, carrying employees of the forestry office in the western Polish town of Zlocieniec who were returning from a company trip with their families.

The state of Brandenburg, where the accident occurred, flew flags at half mast on all public buildings in an expression of mourning.

On Sunday evening, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk flew to Germany and visited victims in hospital, before discussing the accident with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Meanwhile police were investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred when a car fed on to the motorway and hit the bus, which careered into a bridge support pillar.