China: 17 killed as bus falls into deep ravine

BEIJING: At least 17 people were killed and three seriously injured when a long-distance bus overturned and plunged down a deep ravine, said Chinese state media.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the accident occurred early Wednesday and the cause was not immediately clear.

The report said 45 people were on the bus, which was headed from eastern Jiangsu province to the coastal city of Xiamen in Fujian province. It overturned in Fujian's Ningde city.

Road safety is a serious problem in China, with many accidents caused by poorly maintained roads and bad driving habits.