Czech international footballer killed after Turkish bus crash

Ankara - Czech international Josef Sural has died of injuries he sustained in a minibus crash while returning with team-mates from a match in southern Turkey, his Turkish club Aytemiz Alanyaspor said on Monday.

The club's chairperson said the accident occurred after both the drivers on the bus fell asleep.

"Czech player Josef Sural who was seriously injured after an accident involving a private minibus carrying seven of our footballers after an away game at Kayseri could not be saved despite all of the hospital's efforts," the club said on Twitter.

The six other players were injured but not seriously in the crash, close to the southern town of Alanya, state news agency Anadolu said.

One of the drivers has been taken into custody and Turkish authorities launched an investigation into the accident, Anadolu reported.

"Unfortunately despite having two drivers, they fell asleep and the crash happened," Alanyaspor chairperson Hasan Cavusoglu said.

Sural, who was 28, had also played for Czech sides FC Brno, Slovan Liberec and Sparta Prague, as well as for his country.

Alanyaspor, currently fifth in the Turkish Super Lig, drew 1-1 with Kayserispor after the match on Sunday.