The death toll has risen to 14 and two passengers remain missing after a tourist bus plunged into a deep ravine in Tibet on Friday, with another 13 injured.

 

Twenty-nine people were on board the 35-seater bus, including 27 tourists, a driver and a guide, said officials with the regional tourism administration.

 

They said all the tourists were from the Chinese mainland.

 

The bus, en route from the regional capital Lhasa to the western city of Xigaze, veered off the highway and plunged into Yarlung Zangbo River at around 1:00 PM on Friday, some 90 km west of Lhasa.

 

The local government said 12 people were killed on the spot, including 10 women. Two others died later at hospital.

 

The 13 injured passengers have been hospitalized and rescuers are searching for the two missing.

 

The identities of the passengers are still unknown.

 

The blacktop highway built in rugged mountains along the Yarlung Zangbo River underwent renovations last year and is in good condition, and local authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2007)