A double-decker bus carrying 27 passengers skidded off the road and down a steep slope in Fujian Province on Monday, killing 17 and injuring 10.

The bus went out of control at around 1:00 AM while traveling on Huangqi Road in Lianjiang County. It slid for about 150 meters before hitting the shoulder and plummeting more than 60 meters down a steep slope.

The injured passengers were sent to local hospitals. Five were seriously hurt and transferred to Fuzhou No. 2 Hospital.

Huangqi Road is a Grade Three highway where traffic incidents are common. Large buses are not allowed on the road after 9:00 PM.

A local radio station reported that no operating permit was in the wreck and the bus was to have been pulled from the road in August. That report is unconfirmed.

An official with local transportation bureau said the cause of accident is still under investigation.

The bus belonged to a local company, Hongshun Transportation. The company has made no public statements.

The bus was traveling from Tailu Town, in Lianjiang County, to Fuzhou City. Most of the passengers were residents of Tailu Town.

Wang Qisheng, a resident of Huangqi Town, witnessed the crash and immediately reported it.

Provincial, municipal and local officials have set up three teams to investigate.

(China Daily, China.org.cn August 24, 2004)