On Friday, media and police sources reported a mishap on the U.S. Route 93, almost 27 miles south of Hoover Dam – which is near the border of Arizona and Las Vegas. The accident took place when the bus carrying Chinese tourists overturned at about 4 p.m., near mile marker 27.  

According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the accident claimed the lives of least seven Chinese tourists, and left 16 injured. National Park Service spokesman Andrew Munoz said that the injured also included a motorcyclist who got hurt as he tried to avoid the California-registered bus, which was en route from Las Vegas to Arizona.

Lt. James Warriner said that medical helicopters were pressed into service, so as to air-lift some of the injured to the University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The others were taken to Kingman Regional Medical Center in Kingman, Arizona.

At the scene of the crash, the dead bodies lay in body bags on the highway; with the bus stretched on its side across both lanes. The north-south highway was shut in both directions.

As per the initial reports from the accident scene, the rescuers had a tough time communicating with the tourists because of the language barrier.