(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-01 20:57

HONG KONG - A shuttle bus carrying 65 passengers turned over here Thursday morning, killing 17 and injuring 49 others, Hong Kong police and the government information department said.

A shuttle bus carrying 65 passengers turns over in Hong Kong, killing 17 and injuring 49 others, on Thursday morning, May 1, 2008. [Xinhua]

The accident, one of Hong Kong's worst road tragedies in recent years, occurred at about 9:00 a.m. (0100 GMT) when the bus overturned at Nam Pin Wai Road in Sai Kung.

Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, had visited hospitals, where the injured were under treatment, expressed condolences and comfort.

Tsang vowed that the HKSAR government would do anything necessary to help those victims and their families in the accident.

"Like every citizen in Hong Kong, my heart was very heavy," Tsang told reporters after he visited the injured citizens.

By noon, all the trapped passengers had been out with the help of fire fighters. Fire fighters had to smash the windows of the bus to help out those trapped in the bus.

The dead passengers were all female, said police spokesman Ho Cha Kan, adding the bus has only 55 seats but loaded with 65 people when the accident happened.

Ho said the passengers on the bus were local people from a religious group and were on their way to their worshipping activities in Sai Kung, according to the police.

At least 10 ambulances stood by and the government flying service also mobilized one helicopter to assist the rescue efforts.

Witness and some passengers said the bus was driving at a very fast speed at a slope road section. The exact cause of the accident was still unknown.