A bus crash killed seven and injured nine others in south China's Hunan Province on Monday.

Two buses, one 47-seat passenger bus and one 11-seat minibus with an armed police registration plate, were involved in a head-on collision on the 319 national highway in Liuyang City of Hunan Province at 8:40 PM on Monday, said local police.

The driver of the smaller vehicle, Tang Qi, who was carrying armed police identification, was confirmed dead. The driver of the larger bus was identified as Sheng Zhikuan but no information was provided on his condition.

All the injured have been hospitalized. One of them was severely injured, local police said.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2007)