A bus crash on Sunday morning killed one person and injured 36 passengers, 28 of whom were children. Most passengers are now out of danger, sources with the local traffic bureau said yesterday.

The accident occurred when the bus, carrying 37 people, veered off Highway 302 between Antu and Dunhua in Jilin Province to avoid an oncoming truck.

It plunged into a 4-meter ditch, said Cui Guangzhe, a police officer with the Public Security Bureau in Antu County.

The drivers of the truck and the bus were detained for further investigation, he added. The bus had a capacity of 30 people, so it was exceeding its limit.

Most of the passengers were children who had recently scored high marks in their high school entrance exam, and had won admission to the prestigious Yanbian No 3 High School in Dunhua, a school that has cultivated many university students. They were on their way to the school for a gathering.

The victim is believed to be one of the parents of the children, who sat at the back of the bus.

According to doctors at the People's Hospital in Antu County most of them are recovering and some have already left hospital.

Yun Qingjun, vice-president the hospital, said more than 40 medical staff rushed to the spot after the accident.

Another accident happened on the same highway last Saturday afternoon. Two people lost their lives and 37 were injured when a bus overturned.

It was carrying 39 tourists on a company trip from Beijing to Changbai Mountain, a tourist destination in the province.

(China Daily July 25, 2006)