Twenty people were killed and 17 others were injured when a bus collided with a taxi and plunged into a river in Huzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Saturday night, local traffic police confirmed on Sunday.

A bus carrying 36 passengers collided with a taxi at 11:37 PM near the Jiujiu (double nine) Bridge at the Huzhou Economic Development Zone. The bus driver tried to avoid further damages by turning around the steering wheel abruptly. Unexpected to his wishful thinking, the bus damaged the bridge guardrail and fell down into the six-meter-deep river.

Fourteen passengers on board the bus were slightly injured and were rescued by local police, 20 others were drowned in water and two more were still missing.

The taxi was carrying four people when the accident occurred. The taxi driver, surnamed Zhu, and two passengers were injured slightly. One is safe and sound.

Operation for searching the two missing passengers is still underway.

(Xinhua News Agency October 9, 2005)