ZHENGZHOU -?12 people died after a bus hit an electric bicycle and ended up in a roadside pond in central China's Henan province on Sunday morning, authorities said Monday.

The accident occurred at 11 am when the bus carrying 34 people ran into the electric bicycle, hit a tree, and then went into the pond in Minquan county in the city of Shangqiu, a county government spokesman said.

As of Monday morning, 12 people, including the bicycle rider, died despite medical efforts, the spokesman said.

23?other people were in a stable condition after being taken to hospital.

The bus, with a load capacity of 30 passengers, belongs to a local transportation company. It was heading for the provincial capital of Zhengzhou from Shangqiu when the accident happened, according to the spokesman.

An initial investigation showed that the accident was caused by the bus driver's improper operation of the vehicle. A further investigation is under way.