Berlin

Seventeen people were unaccounted for after a tour bus burst into flames following a collision today with a trailer truck in southern Germany, police said.

"It is completely possible that some people did not make it out of the bus, it's unclear where 17 of them are," a police spokeswoman Anne Hoefer, told AFP, adding that 31 people were injured.

The bus carrying 46 passengers and two drivers rammed into the trailer in a traffic jam on the motorway A9 close to the Bavarian town of Stammbach.

The impact shortly after 7 am (local time) sent the bus up in flames.

"The bus is completely gutted," said Hoefer.

An emergency team, including firefighters and rescue workers, was in place, while traffic on the motorway was halted in both directions.

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