Bus accident kills 16 in central China

China.org.cn, January 12, 2011

Sixteen bus passengers were killed in a road accident last night in Xuchang, central China's Henan Province. Another 23 passengers were injured with six currently in critical condition.

The accident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on the Xuping South Expressway. According to local authorities, the bus, owned by the Pingdingshan Transportation Company, was overloaded when the accident took place.

The coach initially crashed into two cars that had already collided into each other. It then smashed through the expressway's safety barrier and hurtled down a slope and overturned, said Xi Hongyu, deputy head of the traffic police unit in Xuchang.

There were 42 people, including a driver and a conductor, aboard the bus, Xi said,

Four of the bus passengers died at the scene. Twelve died later in hospital. Six of the injured suffered severe injuries.

Further?investigation remains underway.