Bus falls off cliff in northern China, killing 30 people

BEIJING – Chinese authorities say 30 people died Friday when a bus carrying them fell from a cliff in the north-central province of Shaanxi.

The propaganda office of Chunhua county said in an online statement that 25 people were killed on the spot and that the other five died in hospital from injuries. There was no immediate word on the cause of the accident and authorities said they were investigating.

The state broadcaster China Central Television said in an earlier report that the bus was carrying more than 40 passengers and that it fell into a ravine more than 30 yards deep near a forest park.

Bus accidents are common on China's windy mountain roads, where drivers often ignore safety rules by speeding or carrying too many passengers.