MEXICO CITY (AFP) - A truck plowed into a crowd of pilgrims after apparently losing its brakes in central Mexico on Wednesday, killing at least 16 people and injuring 30 others, authorities said.

Some 200 people were taking part in a religious procession on the main street of the town of Mazapil in Zacatecas state when the truck ran into them in the late afternoon, officials said.

The dump truck "was apparently left without brakes and struck the crowd," which was heading to a church, an official in the state's civil protection agency told AFP.

In a statement, the state government's secretary-general, Jaime Santoyo Castro, said 16 people died and 30 more were injured.

Civil protection and Red Cross officials had earlier reported 12 dead.

Officials said the truck driver fled the scene of the tragedy.

Local media showed pictures of the dump truck turned on its side.