Three people were killed and six others injured on Wednesday when the tractor they were riding fell into a valley in the central Chinese province of Henan, local police said.

The tractor carrying eight passengers, who were on a pilgrimage to a local temple, plunged into a seven-meter-deep valley, apparently because of errors by an unlicensed driver. The accident happened in Dushu county, Fangcheng town at 9:31 a.m., the police said.

The driver, Wu Zhizhen, was among two people killed at the scene. Seven people were injured, one of whom subsequently died, taking the fatalities to three.

The other injured were taken to three different hospitals, where three were treated and released. Three remain under observation.

(Xinhua News Agency April 4, 2008)