The death toll in a South Korean road accident involving a tour bus of senior citizens that plunged off a mountain road rose to 17, dpa quoted a news report as saying. Fourteen of the 31 passengers in the group of travelers aged 70 to 90 were hurt in Wednesday"s accident, the broadcaster KBS reported. Authorities said they feared the death toll, which had stood at 14 Wednesday night, could rise further because a number of the injured were in critical condition. The bus fell 30 metres down a slope near the south-eastern city of Kyongju. The driver told investigators that the brakes had not functioned properly, KBS said. --SPA
