18 die in central China after bus plunges into lake

Passenger van carrying 20 passengers aged between 60 and 70 years old

18 die in central China after bus plunges into lake

Eighteen people were killed and two remain in hospital after a passenger van plunged into a lake in thick fog in central China early Friday.

State news agency Xinhua reported that the accident occurred at a road section near Miaoling Township, Ezhou City in Hubei Province around 6 a.m. (2200GMT Thursday) when a bus carrying 20 people plunged into the roadside lake.

The South China Morning Post reported the provincial government as saying that the van driver -- one of the two people to survive -- had been placed under investigation.

It added that all the passengers were aged between 60 and 70 years old.