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| School bus crash in China's Jiangsu province kills 15 | School bus crash in China's Jiangsu province kills 15 |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Fifteen children have been killed in China after their school bus veered off a road into an irrigation ditch. | Fifteen children have been killed in China after their school bus veered off a road into an irrigation ditch. |
| Many of the children drowned as ditch water gushed into the overturned bus in eastern Jiangsu province, officials said. | Many of the children drowned as ditch water gushed into the overturned bus in eastern Jiangsu province, officials said. |
| The tragedy comes amid a national outcry over recent similar incidents. | The tragedy comes amid a national outcry over recent similar incidents. |
| Only on Sunday, the government issued draft measures to guarantee children's safety, including compulsory checks on buses and their drivers. | Only on Sunday, the government issued draft measures to guarantee children's safety, including compulsory checks on buses and their drivers. |
| Monday's accident happened as the 29 children were being driven home from school along a rural road in Fengxian county. | |
| The bus driver - who officials say has now been taken into custody - had apparently swerved to avoid a motorised rickshaw. | The bus driver - who officials say has now been taken into custody - had apparently swerved to avoid a motorised rickshaw. |
| Nearby factory workers heard cries and rushed to help the children, many of whom were trapped at the bottom of the overturned bus. | Nearby factory workers heard cries and rushed to help the children, many of whom were trapped at the bottom of the overturned bus. |
| "The water was not very deep, probably more than a metre (yard) or so - up to an adult's waist - but it was deep enough to drown some of the children," Zhang, the wife of the factory owner, told the Associated Press. | "The water was not very deep, probably more than a metre (yard) or so - up to an adult's waist - but it was deep enough to drown some of the children," Zhang, the wife of the factory owner, told the Associated Press. |
| "We tried so hard and cracked open one of the windows and started to pull the kids out. It was freezing cold." | "We tried so hard and cracked open one of the windows and started to pull the kids out. It was freezing cold." |
| She said the children ranged in age from six to 14. Eight of the children were injured. | She said the children ranged in age from six to 14. Eight of the children were injured. |
| 'Overcrowded' | 'Overcrowded' |
| Officials have said the bus could carry 52 people so was not overloaded at the time of the accident. | Officials have said the bus could carry 52 people so was not overloaded at the time of the accident. |
| They have been keen to draw a distinction between a crash in Gansu province last month in which 19 kindergarten children died, the BBC's Michael Bristow in Beijing reports. | They have been keen to draw a distinction between a crash in Gansu province last month in which 19 kindergarten children died, the BBC's Michael Bristow in Beijing reports. |
| On that occasion, more than 60 youngsters were crammed into a minibus that originally had just nine seats. | On that occasion, more than 60 youngsters were crammed into a minibus that originally had just nine seats. |
| Officials will, nevertheless, face tough questions about this latest accident involving a school bus, our correspondent adds. | Officials will, nevertheless, face tough questions about this latest accident involving a school bus, our correspondent adds. |
| Monday also saw another crash involving a school bus, this time in southern Guangdong province. Some 37 pupils were injured after the bus carrying 59 children was hit by a heavy-duty truck, Xinhua news agency reports. | Monday also saw another crash involving a school bus, this time in southern Guangdong province. Some 37 pupils were injured after the bus carrying 59 children was hit by a heavy-duty truck, Xinhua news agency reports. |
| Correspondents say school buses are often overloaded in China, and children are increasingly being forced to travel further as schools close in rural areas hit by migration to the cities. | Correspondents say school buses are often overloaded in China, and children are increasingly being forced to travel further as schools close in rural areas hit by migration to the cities. |
| 'History repeats' | 'History repeats' |
| Millions of messages have been posted on the Chinese social media site Weibo, expressing outrage, sadness and frustration: "Another schoolbus accident!!! How much longer before this can be rectified?!" one user wrote. | Millions of messages have been posted on the Chinese social media site Weibo, expressing outrage, sadness and frustration: "Another schoolbus accident!!! How much longer before this can be rectified?!" one user wrote. |
| Some also criticised the new safety regulations being drafted by the government, saying that allowing schools a three-year transition period to adopt the rules is too long. | Some also criticised the new safety regulations being drafted by the government, saying that allowing schools a three-year transition period to adopt the rules is too long. |
| "In China, history repeats itself," wrote one microblogger. "You can wait three years, but life can't. The ink and blood have yet to dry. Do we need more heartache?" | "In China, history repeats itself," wrote one microblogger. "You can wait three years, but life can't. The ink and blood have yet to dry. Do we need more heartache?" |