At least 20 killed in China bus crash

At least 20 people were killed and 30 injured after a a bus carrying 50 miners to the underground operation went out of control and crashed into the side of the tunnel in northern China.

Inner Mongolia: At least 20 people were killed on Saturday and 30 injured in a bus accident blamed on faulty brakes at a mine in northern China, state media reported.

The accident occurred at a lead, zinc and silver mine operated by the Yinman Mining Co in the sprawling inner Mongolia region, a news agency said.

The casualties occurred when a bus carrying 50 miners to the underground operation went out of control and crashed into the side of the tunnel, news agency said.

The Ministry of Emergency Management has sent a working team to "guide and assist" in the rescue and investigation at the accident site, the report said.

Despite huge safety improvements in recent years, scores of Chinese miners die each year, largely in gas explosions, underground floods and collapses due to structural defects.