The bus was reportedly ferrying tourists between the city and a campsite in Venice’s Marghera district on the mainland.
According to the BBC, the bus broke through a roadside barrier and fell around 15 metres to the ground near the railway, hitting power lines on its way.
At least 18 people were injured in the crash. The city’s mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, described the scene as "apocalyptic" in a post to Twitter/X.
The incident happened at around 7.45pm local time. Citing Venice’s prefect Michele Di Bari, Reuters reports five Ukrainians were among the victims, along with a German national.
Di Bari also confirmed two children had died in the tragedy.