Laos bus accident kills 13 tourists, injures 31

Thirteen Chinese nationals were killed, 31 others injured and one remained missing in a bus crash in northern Laos here on Tuesday.

The crash happened when a tour bus carrying 43 Chinese tourists, one Chinese tour assistant and two Lao nationals including the driver and a tour guide, skidded off a road between the capital Vientiane and the northern town of Luang Prabang, some 180 km north of Lao capital Vientiane on Monday afternoon.

The two Lao nationals were reported to be injured, the Chinese rescue team at the accident site, reports said.

The police said the crash was probably caused by a brake failure.

Staff from the Chinese Embassy to Laos and the Chinese Consulate-General in Luang Prabang have been travelling to the crash site for search and rescue.

The Chinese Embassy to Laos and the consulate-general in Luang Prabang have reminded of travel safety when driving in the rainy season, especially in the mountains, and careful check of the vehicles before driving.