BEIJING : At least 11 people died Saturday in northwest China when their bus veered off a road and plunged into a mountainous ravine, state press reported.

Twenty-seven people were in the minibus in the Ningxia region when it fell 20 metres (65 feet) into the ravine, Xinhua news agency said.

All the passengers were sent to local hospital with the 11 dying while undergoing emergency treatment.    


China`s roads are among the most dangerous in the world, with traffic laws widely flouted.

Nearly 73,500 people died in road accidents in 2008, or just over 200 fatalities per day, according to police statistics.

BDST:1409 HRS, June 26, 2010
SIS