At least 11 wounded as car ploughs into Brazil's Copacabana Beach

RIO DE JANEIRO: At least 11 people were reportedly wounded when a vehicle ploughed into pedestrians here at a popular tourist spot early Friday morning, Brazilian police said.

A black hatchback drove into a sidewalk near Rio de Janeiro's tourist-packed Copacabana promenade early morning, ramming into people and injuring many.

"A person lost control of his vehicle... running over at least 11 people", a Rio military police spokesman told AFP, adding that initial information did not suggest it was an intentional attack.

According to firefighters, one of the victims of the accident was seriously hurt.

A video on social media depicts people strewn around in the sand right after the crash. Further, beaches are way more crowded than usual since the Carnival season is about to start.

Local police commander Colonel Angelotti said the black Hyundai i30's driver allegedly suffered an epileptic attack, stopping only after reaching the sands of the world-famous beach, according to global news outlet RT.

The publication noted that authorities recovered "a box of medication inside the vehicle". The driver was later shifted to a medical facility, Angelotti said.

Gabriel Ferrando of the local police precinct said, "My staff did not notice evidence of drunkenness, but he will undergo tests at the Medical-Legal Institute," as per a report in Oglobo, and that the driver — who has been taken into custody — said his epilepsy caused a "blackout".

Among the wounded are four children and a baby, local news reported.

—This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is made available