Bangladeshi police say at least 42 school children were killed Monday, when the vehicle they were riding in plunged into a canal.

The children, between the ages of 8 and 12, were returning from a football match when the accident happened outside the southeastern city of Chittagong.

At least 60 students were said to be riding in the vehicle. Police expect the death toll to rise as more bodies are feared trapped inside.

Anxious parents and relatives gathered at the crash site Monday to look for their children.

Road accidents are common in Bangladesh due to reckless driving, lax traffic rules and poor road conditions.