Ten girls and two boys have been killed and more than 20 wounded after a gunman opened fire in a school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Thursday.

The tragedy happened at the Escola Municipal Tasso da Silveira school in the western Realengo area.

The shooter, 23-year-old Brazilian Wellington Oliveira, killed children aged between 12 and 14, most with shots to their heads.

Oliveria was shot in the leg by police before he killed himself. He left a note saying that he wanted to be buried in a white sheet he had left in a bag at the school.

Survivors of a ferry that sunk in central Philippines arrive in Batangas port, south of Manila December 27, 2009.
Survivors of a ferry that sunk in central Philippines arrive in Batangas port, south of Manila December 27, 2009. REUTERS