(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-15 23:46

GUIYANG -- A farm truck plunged into a river in the southwestern province of Guizhou on Thursday, leaving 29 people dead and 14 injured, local police said.

The accident happened at about 11 a.m. in Yaoshang Town, Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Qiannan, when the vehicle, carrying 42 passengers, plunged 13.5 meters off a bridge into a river.

Twenty-eight people, including four children, died at the scene and another person died later in hospital. The injured, six of whom were seriously hurt, were still being treated in hospital.

The driver, Guan Heming, a native of Chashan Village of Yaoshang Town, sustained minor injuries.

Most of the passengers were from the same village and were traveling to another town for a banquet.

Police said the accident appeared to be caused by bad driving, but would not comment on whether the vehicle was overloaded.

The rescue operation has ended, but police are still investigating the cause of the accident.