4 killed on mainland as car plunges 70 metres

Three Hong Kong tourists and a mainlander were killed yesterday when the car they were in fell 70 metres into a pond during a sightseeing trip in Jiangxi province.

Two other tourists in the family were being treated for injuries in Yushan People's Hospital, Yushan county. It is uncertain what happened to the third injured person.

They were part of a group of nine Hongkongers and two mainlanders driving in two cars, when one of the cars, carrying seven people, lost control and fell into the pond, throwing five people out of the car, a tour member said.

He said they had just finished sightseeing at Sanqing Mountain and were driving downhill at about 4pm when they crashed. He said the driver, the husband of his sister, was experienced at driving on the mainland.

The tour member said the dead Hong Kong residents were his sister, her brother-in-law, his brother's wife and a 31-year-old nephew.

He said the car had been travelling at 70km/h and investigating officers believe the driver may have fallen fallen asleep, causing the crash.