Bus Plunges Off Bridge into Water Killing 21 in China (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – At least 21 people have been killed and 15 seriously injured after a bus carrying high school students veered off a road, broke through a guardrail and sank into a reservoir in southwest China.
The bus swerved across six lanes of traffic and into the swollen waters following days of torrential rain storms triggering deadly floods.
Authorities said they recovered 21 dead and 15 injured people from the waters in the country's southwest, the Mirror reported.
The mass rescue operation took place following the tragedy in the Guizhou Province at noon on Tuesday, local time.
The students were said to be on their way to sit final year college entry exams when the bus came off the road.
The bus plunged into the Hongshanhu reservoir which is about 10 metres (33 feet) deep in the area where the vehicle landed, a rescuer told The Beijing News.
Surveillance footage released by People's Daily shows the bus initially driving slowly on bridge over the reservoir before it suddenly swerves into oncoming traffic.
The bus then smashes through the barriers and plunges into the water below.
Dramatic pictures and footage from the aftermath of the tragedy shows rescuers swimming survivors to safety from the bus that nose-dived into the water.
Its reports say nearly six hours after the crash rescuers had managed to pluck 36 people from the water, including 21 who died and 15 injured people.
The state broadcaster said the students on the bus had been on their way to sit the college entry exams.
The cause of the incident remains unclear.
