China will offer every assistance to crash relatives, ministry says

The Chinese leadership has issued instructions for relevant departments and localities to help deal with the aftermath of the deadly Tuesday traffic accident in Weihai, Shandong province, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Twelve people, including 11 kindergarten pupils, were killed when a school bus crashed and then burst into flames as it traveled through a tunnel in the coastal city in northern China.

Of the 11 children, who were aged between three and six, five were from the Republic of Korea and six were Chinese nationals. They were all pupils at an international kindergarten in Weihai, Xinhua quoted local authorities as saying.

"The Chinese side is in communication with the ROK through diplomatic channels" and will help with any issues to be resolved, said a written statement issued on the ministry's website.

Members of the ministry's staff have been assigned to provide comfort and assist the families of the dead, the statement said.

Shandong province and Weihai city launched contingency response plans immediately after the crash, and leading local officials went to the site and guided operations by relevant departments, it said.