CHANGSHA - Eight people who were severely injured in a bus crash Thursday afternoon in Central China's Hunan province are no longer in a critical condition in hospital, according to the local authorities Friday.

The bus, which was carrying 47 people -- mainly students -- fell off a 30-meter-high slope in Yongzhou city, Hunan at 5:50 pm Thursday. Four students died and 44 others were injured.

A nurse takes care of an injured passenger at a hospital in Yongzhou, Central China's Hunan province, Oct 18, 2012. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]

A group, which is handling the rescue and investigation, said it has organized medical experts in treating the eight that were severely wounded.

The 49-seat bus was taking 46 students and one teacher from Hunan Daoxian County Junior Normal College, on its way from Daoxian to Yongzhou, when the accident happened. The students are aged between 17 and 21.

Two students died at the scene and another two died after being sent to hospital.

The 42-year-old driver - a man surnamed Zeng - who was one of the eight that had been in a critical condition is under police custody.

The bus was rented by the school from Yongzhou Wangda Transport Corp.

The probe into the accident is continuing.

The scene of an accident where a bus fell off a cliff in the Chalin section of Yongzhou-Lianzhou Road in Shuangpai county, Hunan province, Oct 18, 2012. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]