11 killed as bus plunges into ravine in northern Thailand
A bus plunged into a 150-metre deep ravine in northern Thailand on Tuesday, killing 11 people and injuring more than 20, police said.
The bus was carrying 36 Thai passengers from Phrae, 560 kilometres north of Bangkok, to Nan, 670 kilometres north of the Thai capital.
The accident took place in Uttaradit province.
"The route is particularly steep and there have been various accidents at this spot," Colonel Ditsayadej Patcharapuwadol, Uttaradit police chief, told dpa.
"However, this is the first time the casualties are this big," Ditsayadej added.
An initial investigation found that the accident was likely caused by the driver's unfamiliarity with the route.
The driver was being treated at a local hospital and was in police custody.
The death toll could go up as some passengers remain stuck in the bus, although the majority of them were taken to a nearby hospital.
The rescue operation was difficult because the ravine was deep, police said, adding that an army crane will be used to raise the bus.
