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At least 13 dead in Laos tour bus crash
At least 13 Chinese tourists were killed when a tour bus they were travelling in skidded off a mountain road and plunged 100 feet down a ravine in Laos.
Lao authorities say the bus was carrying 44 Chinese tourists.
Thirty-three were injured including the Lao bus driver and tour guide.
The bus was taking the tourists north from capital Ventiane to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang.
Most of the tourists were in their fifties and sixties and were from the Chinese province of Jiangsu.
Police initially said they believed the accident may have been caused by brake failure but investigations are still ongoing.
The region’s mountainous roads are scenic but can be treacherous with accidents fairly common.
Local Chinese-owned businesses responded to offer to help and a Chinese army medical team that was in Laos at the time was flown to Luang Prabang to also offer assistance.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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