Three people remained missing Tuesday after a Sunday morning bus crash in southwest China's Sichuan Province that killed 21 people and injured 21 others.

Forty-five people, including the driver and a 21-year-old China Travel Service guide, were on the bus traveling from Chongqing Municipality to Jiuzhaigou, a famous Sichuan scenic spot, when the accident occurred in Pingwu County.

"The bus was traveling at full speed when it suddenly crashed into a wall. Then it bounced back and plunged into the Fujiang River," the Chengdu Evening News quoted Liu Yun, a witness, as saying on Monday.

The paper reported that the accident took place at a sharp curve in the road.

Both the driver and the tour guide were among the dead.

"The passengers are all adults, with the eldest being 72. The majority are women from Chongqing Municipality," said Si Yurong, head of the county.

Si said all the survivors were injured. Eighteen were sent to a town hospital in Mianyang, the county seat of Pingwu.

"The remaining three, who were more seriously injured, are staying in the county hospital, each being given special care and close monitoring by three doctors," she said.

All the injured have been removed from the critical list.

The China Travel Service and its insurance companies are contributing 1 million yuan (US$120,000) to cover the medical treatment of the injured passengers and other expenses.

Zhang Jie, an official with the Mianyang town government, said that the preliminary investigation indicates that the bus was not overloaded.

The bus was hoisted out of the river yesterday morning. One woman's body was found inside, according to Si.

The search is continuing along the river for the missing passengers, and investigation into the cause of the wreck is still under way. Some of the relatives of those killed have arrived in the area.

(China Daily October 12, 2004)