At least 27 people have died after a bus plunged from a hill on Indonesia's main island of Java, police said.

Local police chief Muhammad Joni said 16 other people were being treated in hospital with injuries, some in critical condition.

The accident occurred on Saturday as the bus was driving along a winding slope in Subang district of West Java province.

Mr Joni said the vehicle's engine apparently lost power while going up a hill and rolled backward, hitting a motorbike before falling into a grass field.

Television footage showed police, soldiers and medical personnel evacuating the victims from the upside-down bus, which was carrying more than 40 passengers - most said to be local tourists.

The bus was headed for Tangerang, a city just south of the capital, Jakarta, from West Java's Tangkuban Perahu, a popular mountainous resort.

Road accidents are common in Indonesia due to poor safety standards and infrastructure.