A minibus plunged into an 87-meter gorge after veering off a mountain road on Wednesday in Shuicheng County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, leaving 12 people dead and eight injured.

The accident occurred at 12:25 AM when the 19-seater vehicle overturned on a rugged mountain path and plunged into the valley, according to local police.

The bus, with 20 people aboard, including a child, was heading from Nayong County to Shuicheng County, both in the Bijie Region of Guizhou.

Eight people died at the scene, two died on the way to the hospital, two died in the hospital, and the other eight, including the driver, were injured, the police said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 5, 2007)