Twenty-one people have been found dead in a traffic accident by Monday afternoon in Du'an County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Another 24 people survived the accident on Saturday when driver Wei Haiguo lost control over the bus because of unidentified malfunction, and the 40-seat bus fell into the Diaojiang River, witnesses said.

Rescue work began immediately after the accident. As of Sunday noon, eleven bodies had been lifted out of the water and another ten bodies were discovered on Monday.

Relevant government departments have been handing out compensations to victims' families and ordered a safety check overall automobiles in the city.

Salvage work and further investigation are still underway.

(Xinhua News Agency June 29, 2004)