13 Chinese killed as tour bus crashes in Laos

BANGKOK — A tour bus carrying dozens of Chinese passengers crashed in Laos, killing at least 13, officials said Tuesday.

The bus was carrying 44 Chinese when it careened off a road between the Lao capital, Vientiane, and the northern tourist town of Luang Prabang on Monday, the Chinese Embassy in Vientiane said on its website.

In addition to the 13 who were killed, 31 other Chinese passengers were injured, two of them seriously, the embassy said. The bus driver and a guide, both Lao, suffered minor injuries.

Members of a Chinese People’s Liberation Army medical team who were in Laos for a joint medical event with the Lao government flew to Luang Prabang to help with treating the injured, the embassy said. Some of the injured were being treated at a hospital in Luang Prabang, while others were resting at their hotel. /kga