Death toll rises to 11 in East China road accident

NANCHANG - With one more person dead in hospital, death toll of the road accident Tuesday rose to 11 in East China's Jiangxi province, authorities said Wednesday.

Another 20 were injured after an overloaded passenger vehicle skidded off the road at around 10:30 am in Ningdu county, Ganzhou city, according to the Communist Party committee of Ganzhou.

Initial investigations found 31 people were onboard the 19-seater when it slipped off the road at a downhill turn and plunged into a 10-meter-deep ditch.

Nine passengers were killed at the scene and two died later despite medical efforts. The injured are being treated.

The passenger vehicle is owned by a transport company called Ruixiang based in Ruijin city. Legal representative of the company, surnamed Yang, has been detained.

Further investigation is under way.