A bus carrying 24 Russian tourists plunged into a ravine in southern Vietnam, killing at least 12, local media reported Saturday.
The accident occurred Friday evening as the bus with the Russians and three Vietnamese aboard was descending the Dai Ninh pass on its way from the hill resort of Dalat to the coastal town of Mui Ne, the news website Vietnamnet reported.
Rescuers were still trying to free at least nine passengers from the bus Saturday morning. Eight of the casualties died at the scene 150 kilometres south of Dalat while another four died after being admitted to a nearby hospital, reported dpa.
Nguyen Ba Hy, director of Lam Dong General Hospital, said the more serious cases were being transferred to the French-Vietnamese Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for treatment.
Workers from the Dai Ninh hydroelectric plant, 3 kilometres from the accident site, rushed to the scene, but rescue work was hampered by the depth of the ravine and the lack of light.
Vietnam's beaches have become increasingly popular with Russian tourists in recent years.
According to Vietnam's National Committee for Traffic Safety, traffic accidents kill 30 people and injure 60 others every day, and the rate of fatalities continues to rise.