Rescuers work in the site of the bus-truck collision accident in Bavaria, Germany, on July 3, 2017.German police confirmed on Monday on the Twitter account that many people are dead in a tour bus-truck collision accident in southern Germany. (Xinhua/Luo Huanhuan)

BERLIN, July 3 (Xinhua) -- German police confirmed that a total of 18 people were killed in a deadly bus-truck collision in Bavaria Monday morning, and 30 others were injured.

Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed "great dismay" over the tragedy, saying her thoughts go to the victims and their families and to the injured.

An initial report of the police said 30 people have been injured and another 18 people are missing after a coach collided with a truck and caught fires.

"Thirty passengers were taken to hospitals, some with serious injuries. The others are believed to have died in the burning tour bus," police said in an earlier statement.

A total of 46 passengers and two drivers were on the bus when the accident happened, but all that remained was a charcoal wreck.

A police spokesperson said that the bus carrying senior citizens came from the eastern German state of Sachsen. According to the Bild newspaper, they were heading for Nuremberg.

The collision happened at around 7:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) on Monday morning near the Bavarian city of Muenchberg.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said rescuers were partly delayed by "irresponsible behavior" of drivers.

Several rescue helicopters are currently in use. A total of several hundred rescue workers were deployed at the accident site, the local Suddeutsche Zeitung reported.

Local police said A9 expressway will be closed in one direction for the whole day. Many helicopters are ready on the scene for the rescue.

The A9 motorway connects several popular holiday spots in the southern German region, which is known for its castles and hot spas.