China School Bus Crashes into Crowd, Killing 11

A school bus tragically ploughed into a crowd outside a middle school in eastern China on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of 11 people, including five students, according to state media reports.

The incident occurred in Tai'an city, Shandong province, at 7:27 a.m. local time (2327 GMT Monday), when the bus driver "lost control" of the vehicle as it neared the school, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The out-of-control bus struck a group of parents and children gathered on the side of the road. "As of now, 11 people have died, including six parents and five students," CCTV confirmed in an update shortly after 11:30 a.m.

One person remains in critical condition, while the vital signs of another 12 people are reported to be stable.

Images circulating on social media depicted adults kneeling over bloodied children lying on the road near a large grey bus. Although initially unverified, AFP later confirmed the images were from the school in Shandong where the crash occurred.

Local police have detained the bus driver, and an investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing, CCTV said.

This week marks the start of the new academic year for many public schools in China.

Deadly traffic accidents are not uncommon in the country, often due to lax safety standards and disorderly driving. In a similar incident in July, a vehicle struck pedestrians in the central city of Changsha, killing eight people and injuring five.