Shanxi bus collision victims were part of senior tour group

The tour bus which collided with a tunnel wall on Tuesday was carrying a tour group of seniors from Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, according to Red Star News.

The bus collided with the Xijiata Tunnel's wall at 2:37 pm on Tuesday on the G59 Expressway in Linfen, Shanxi province, resulting in 14 deaths, including the driver, and 37 injured, according to local authorities on Wednesday.

The passengers included 48 tourists, a tour leader, a driver and a guide. Most of them were aged between 60 and 70, the media outlet added.

One of the injured passengers is a 70-year-old woman whose daughter, surnamed Wei, told Red Star News that her mother sustained severe injuries to the head and legs, including a brain injury and fractures.

Wei's mother had signed up for a senior group tour with fellow villagers from Tangjiazhuang village in Zhenjiang. The trip cost around 2,000 yuan ($278) per person and included visits to various locations in Henan, Shanxi and Shaanxi from March 18 to March 24.

Wei said that her mother had frequently participated in such tours, all without mishaps.

According to Red Star News, the Jiangsu Dongshan International Travel Agency's Zhenjiang branch handled tour registration.

A staff member surnamed Xie from the branch said that all passengers on the coach were insured. The branch reported the registration details to the agency's head office, which then coordinated with local travel agencies at the destinations.

Zhang Yu contributed to this story.