7 killed, 11 hurt in bus accident in Guangdong

Seven people were killed and 11 others injured when a coach bus turned over in Yangjiang city, Guangdong province, on early Monday morning.

Six passengers were found dead on the spot when rescuers arrived on the scene, while the other one died after being sent to the hospital, according to a statement released by the Yangjiang publicity department on Monday.

Those injured in the accident were immediately sent to a nearby hospital for treatment, and most of the wounded have been in stable condition in the wake of treatment, the statement said.

The fatal accident took place in the Yangxi county section of the Shenyang-Haikou Expressway at about midnight when the coach -- which was driving from Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, to Leizhou city, under the administration of Zhanjiang city in western part of the province -- overturned, according to the statement.

The coach had a capacity for 44 people, but was found to carry 47 passengers on board when the accident happened, said the statement.

Traffic police officers and rescuers were immediately sent to the scene to help rescue the victims and direct traffic.

Why and how the accident took place is still being investigated, the statement said.