Six Germans were killed and 11 others injured when a speeding car ploughed into them in northern Italy on Sunday, Italian media reported.

The accident happened at around 1:15 a.m. local time (0015 GMT) in the South Tyrol region that borders Austria, the daily Corriere della Sera said.

After spending an evening at a restaurant, the group of young German tourists were near their bus when a car, moving at high speed, slammed into them at the side of the road.

The newspaper said the driver was a 28-year-old man who lived locally, and who may have had a high level of alcohol in his blood.

Six people were killed instantly while the 11 injured were taken to hospital, with three of them in a serious condition including a woman who was transported by helicopter to Austria, the paper said.

(Source: AFP)