A devastating highway crash in Syria killed at least 35 people and injured dozens more Saturday after two buses collided on a major route connecting the capital, Damascus, with the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, according to state media.

The deadly collision happened on Syria’s desert highway, a long and often dangerous stretch of road that serves as a key link between the country’s central and eastern regions. State-run SANA reported that the crash involved a civilian bus and a bus belonging to the Interior Ministry.

A Health Ministry official cited by SANA said around 30 people were injured in the wreck, in addition to the dozens who were killed. The scale of the crash quickly triggered a large emergency response, with rescue crews and medical teams sent to the scene as authorities worked to pull victims from the wreckage and transport survivors for treatment.

Syrian military helicopters were reportedly involved in the operation, a sign of how severe the crash was and how urgently officials needed to move injured passengers from the remote highway area. The use of helicopters also suggested that some victims may have required rapid evacuation to hospitals better equipped to handle serious trauma injuries.

Images and details from the scene were not immediately available, but the reported death toll makes the collision one of the deadliest road accidents in Syria in recent memory. With at least 35 confirmed dead and dozens more hurt, families were left waiting for word on loved ones as officials continued sorting through the aftermath of the disaster.

Authorities have not yet said what caused the two buses to collide. It was not immediately clear whether speed, road conditions, driver error, mechanical failure, or another factor played a role.

The crash remains under investigation.