Beijing: A van crashed into a bus travelling from the Olympic village in China, leaving three people critically injured, the Australian team said on Wednesday.

None of the passengers on the bus, which was headed to the Olympic rowing venue, were seriously injured, the team spokesman said.

The Australian rowing team doctor was on board but there were no Australian athletes on the bus.

Three of the four Chinese people travelling in the van were seriously injured, he said.

"It was a major collision," the doctor said.

"Three of the four people were critically injured and, according to our team doctor, they were very, very seriously injured but I don't know whether or not they died," the spokesman said.

The van had suddenly cut across the bus, causing the accident.


Another Australian on the bus had taken one of the passengers out of the back of the van, the Australian team said in a statement.