11 killed in tourist bus crash in Gyeongju

GYEONGJU, South Korea, Dec. 16 (Yonhap) -- A charter bus carrying 31 domestic
tourists fell from a mountain road near Gyeongju, southern South Korea, on
Wednesday, killing 11 and injuring 20 others, police said.

The victims, all members of a welfare center for the aged in Gyeongju, about 371
kilometers southeast of Seoul, were on their way back home after a visit to a
nearby spa when their bus skidded off the road and rolled about 20 meters down a
slope, police said, adding the accident occurred 5:40 p.m.
Police said the bus was heavily damaged, and the number of victims is expected to
rise further, as most of the elderly people with injuries are in serious
condition.
Shortly after the accident, about 240 rescue workers rushed to the scene and
transported the injured passengers to nearby hospitals, police said.
Police said they have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of
the accident.
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