A long-distance bus plunged into a ravine in east China's Fujian Province early Wednesday, killing 17 people and injuring 28 others, local authorities said.

Wrecks of a long-distance bus are seen in the accident site after the bus plunged into a ravine from a viaduct in a section of an expressway in Xiapu County of Ningde City, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 20, 2012. At least 17 people were killed and three others severely injured in the accident, which took place about 2 a.m. on Wednesday when the bus overturned and fell more than 50 meters into the ravine, according to local authorities. The bus was travelling from eastern Chinese city of Wuxi in Jiangsu Province to Fujian's Xiamen city with altogether 45 people aboard when the plunge happened. An investigation into the cause of the accident has been underway. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)
The accident happened on an expressway viaduct in the county of Xiapu in Ningde city at about 2 a.m. when the bus overturned and fell more than 50 meters into the ravine, said Yang Peiqin, secretary of the Xiapu County Committee of the Communist Party of China.

The bus was travelling from the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi in Jiangsu Province to Fujian's Xiamen city with 45 people aboard, including two children, at the time of the accident, Yang said.

Twenty-eight people were injured in the accident, including three seriously. They are being treated at local hospitals and their identities have been confirmed, he said.

Xiapu is a coastal county with many hills.

An investigation into the cause of the accident was underway, Yang said.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet