JINAN - A collision between a truck and a minibus has killed 11 kindergarten children and a driver in east China's Shandong province, local authorities said on Wednesday.

The accident happened around 8 am when a truck collided with a minibus carrying 14 kindergarten children in Chaoshui Townshipin Penglai City, according to Penglai police.

Three children and the minibus driver were killed outright, and eight children later died in hospital. Three other children sustained minor injuries.

Police said the minibus, hired by a local kindergarten as a school bus, was designed for eight passengers but was overloaded at the time of the accident.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.