The safety of mainland buses was called into question again yesterday after 17 Hong Kong holidaymakers were injured in an accident in northern Guangdong.
The group, part of a party of 40, had to cut short their trip and return to Hong Kong for treatment on Wednesday night after their coach skidded off the road and down a hill at Shaoguan.
No one in the group was seriously injured and the rest of the party came home yesterday afternoon after initially deciding to continue the three-day package tour, which was due to finish today.
China Travel Service, the tour operator, said it had arranged medical checks in Shaoguan for those not hurt in the accident. It also said the tour group would be compensated.
The Travel Industry Council said it had been briefed on the accident and had learned that the tour operator had promised to refund tour costs and medical bills for the injured.
Its executive director, Joseph Tung Yiu-chung, said he was concerned about the standard of tourist coaches in the mainland. He said the council had raised the issue with the relevant authorities before the Lunar New Year.
