Three visitors to Beijing, two from Ireland and one from Holland, were killed on Tuesday in the city when their mini-bus collided with a heavy truck, the municipal information department said.

 

The accident occurred at 9:25?AM Tuesday at a crossroads in the Shunyi District. The mini-bus was carrying seven foreign tourists.

 

When the two vehicles were negotiating the crossroads cement drainage pipes fell off the truck and struck the rear of the mini-bus killing three tourists outright, said the authorities. ?

 

The identity of the three who lost their lives has been confirmed. They were Matthijs Kramer, a 51-year-old male from Holland; James Fintan McCarthy, 37, an Irishman and Mary Sonya Rabbitte, 33, a female from Ireland. ?

 

The accident also left another tourist from the Netherlands slightly injured, according to the department. Others on board the mini-bus, including the Chinese driver and a tour guide, were unhurt, they said.

 

The visitors were on their way to visit the Great Wall in one of the city's suburbs. The municipal foreign affairs office notified China's Foreign Ministry and the Irish and Dutch embassies in China about the tragedy, the department explained.

 

Municipal transportation, tourism and public security officials also attended the accident scene to assist with rescue operations. An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway. ?

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2006)