Driver who killed nine people at Shenzhen airport 'panicked after hearing car horns'

Children and their grandparents are among the victims who were struck by a car on five-lane overpass as they watched aircraft at Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, police say.

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Armed police guard the scene of the accident yesterday in which nine people died and 23 others were injured when a car crashed into a group of people standing on an overpass to watch aircraft at Shenzhen Baoan International Airport. Photo: Reuters

Published: 3:00pm, 2 Mar 2015Updated: 4:30pm, 2 Mar 2015

The driver of a car that crashed killing nine people and injuring 23 others as they stood watching aircraft beside Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, had reportedly panicked after hearing continuous car horns behind her, police said today.

Xinhua reported that children and their grandparents were among the victims.

The female driver, 24, from Chongqing, had allegedly been driving her car at a high speed at 3.20pm yesterday when she lost control on a bend on the five-lane overpass, the news agency reported.

Her vehicle crashed through a safety barrier and then careered a further 50 metres into a group of people standing on the road.

The scene of the accident in which nine people were killed and 23 people injured yesterday after a car crashed into a group of people outside Shenzhen Boan International Airport. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Eyewitnesses said the dead and injured had been standing on the overpass to gain a good view of aircraft using the airport. Some of the victims were knocked over the edge of the overpass after being struck by the car, Xinhua said.

The boyfriend of the driver, who was seriously injured in the crash, told Shenzhen police that she had lost control when she panicked upon hearing cars sounding their horns behind her.