VIENTIANE, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Bosengkham Vongdara along with deputy ministers and ministry officials on Wednesday visited and encouraged Chinese tourists who were hospitalized after being injured in a bus accident on Monday.

The accident victims are receiving treatment at the Lao People's Army 103 Central Hospital in Lao capital Vientiane after a tourists bus carrying more than 40 Chinese tourists plummeted down a steep hillside in Luang Prabang province, some 180 km north of Vientiane.

Bosengkham and his delegation met the accident victims and told them the Lao government was deeply saddened about the incident. He encouraged them to be strong and to be patient until they recovered.

Local daily Vientiane Times on Thursday quoted the hospital's Deputy Director Chanthaphone Oudomsouk as saying that 20 Chinese tourists were receiving treatment at the hospital.

The accident occurred in Nameuang village, Nan district. The driver of the bus lost control and the vehicle left the road and rolled about 100 meters down a steep hill at the Nam Ngao bridge.

The bus was carrying 46 people including a Lao driver and a Lao tour guide. Altogether 13 Chinese tourists including eight women were confirmed dead and 33 people were injured. Some of the injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Luang Prabang while the most seriously injured were flown to Vientiane.

Head of the Traffic Police Department in Luang Prabang Bounsavath Somphaxay said it was possible the accident occurred because of a mechanical fault or because the driver was not familiar with the road. The accident happened on a steep and winding section of road and it was the fourth accident in this mountainous area in past years. Enditem

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