Five still missing after bus plunges into river in SE China

Rescuers search for missing people on Jiulong River, in Hua'an County, southeast China's Fujian Province, May 23, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

Rescuers are still searching for five missing passengers on Saturday after a bus carrying Taiwanese tourists plunged into a river in southeast China on Friday noon.

Two people died after the tourist bus fell into the Jiulong River in Fujian Province on Friday.

The accident happened at 12:30 p.m. in Hua'an County when 26 people were on the bus, including a driver, a tour guide and 24 tourists from Taiwan, according to the county government.

Nineteen people have been rescued, three of whom were seriously injured. Eight slightly wounded tourists had left hospital as of 5 p.m. Saturday.

Some 2,100 soldiers, armed police officers and rescuers are using 132 boats to search for the missing.

The bus was retrieved from the river at 7:10 p.m. Friday with no bodies found inside.