(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-10 23:42

CHONGQING -- Three managers of a bus company in southwest China were sentenced to three to seven years in prison on Monday after they were found responsible for an accident in which 30 people died last year.

The Shapingba District People's Court convicted Zhang Tao, former general manager of Limin Taxi Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Chongqing Municipal Highway Transportation Group, of negligent management and failing to enforce safety regulations.

Zhang was jailed for seven years, another manager, Yang Zongyi, received six years on the same charges, and manager Zhang Lei three years with a five-year reprieve.

A full commuter bus driven by Lu Fuhua, a driver of Limin Taxi, ploughed through a bridge guardrail on the afternoon of October 1 and plunged 30 meters into a dry riverbed, leaving 30 people dead, including Lu, and 20 injured.

Lu had been responsible for a traffic accident, in which one person died, while driving on March 31 last year, according to the court.

But the three managers failed to revoke Lu's license after the March accident as required under transport regulations. Lu continued to drive and caused the serious accident.

Five seriously injured people remain in hospital. Eight others have been discharged awaiting further operations.

The Limin Taxi company have paid the families of the victims 390,000 yuan (US$51,655) it collected plus money from the sale of its assets.