The death toll from yesterday's wedding party crash in central China rose to 16 today when two of the injured died in hospital, according to the provincial work safety administration.

Six of the 16 other injured were in critical condition, said Liu Xiangdong, deputy head of the administration.

The accident happened when a small truck carrying 31 members of a family returning from a wedding veered off the road and over a cliff in Hefeng County, Hubei Province, yesterday morning.

The truck, driven by the groom, plunged more than 80 meters leaving 14 dead at the scene and 18 injured, according to the county's public security bureau.

Overloading and bad weather were blamed for the accident, said Liu, who was supervising the rescue operation. 

"The truck was only allowed to carry four people but the actual passenger number was eight times more," said Liu.

The groom, Li Zhimin, died at the scene. His 16 injured relatives are being treated at the Central Hospital of Hefeng County.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2007)