Rescuers have found bodies of five passengers who went missing after the bus they took fell into a river Thursday afternoon in Alaer City, in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, police said on Friday.

Three bodies were found in the 40-seat bus which was lifted out of water six hours after the accident that occurred at 3:40 PM Thursday, according to police.

Two bodies were found on Friday in the river, bringing the death toll in the accident to five.

Two rescued passengers claimed that their relatives, both male, are still missing after identifying the remains. The previous report from the police said there are six people missing after the accident.

Another 12 people on the bus, including the driver, survived but were slightly injured.

Rescue workers are continuing searching for the missing one.

The driver lost control of the bus because of an unidentified malfunction of the steering wheel, a witness said, adding that he did not know what the malfunction was. The driver has been detained by police.

Initial investigation into the accident also shows that four bikes in the bus blocked the way of the passengers to escape.

(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2007)