At least four Malaysians were killed while 14 others sustained injuries in a traffic accident yesterday evening in northen China's Shanxi province.

All four were killed on the spot, while the tour guide and two others were reported to be in serious condition. The remaining 11 were said to have sustained light injuries, said officials of the Shanxi provincial government.

The tour bus carrying the 17 Malaysian tourist plunged into a ravine in the Wenshui County, 80km southwest of the provincial capital of Taiyuan, reported Bernama.

The 17 were on a tour of Shanxi and neighbouring provinces and were reported to have been seeking their ancestral roots.