China: Rare tiger kills tour bus driver

A RARE Siberian tiger attacked and killed a tour bus driver in northern China while the man's horrified passengers watched.

The tiger pounced on driver Jin Shijun and dragged him into the forest after he got out to check on his bus, which was stuck in the snow at the world's largest Siberian tiger breeding base in the northern province of Heilongjiang, the official Xinhua news agency said.

The bus was full of tourists visiting the centre, and Mr Jin broke safety guidelines by leaving the vehicle, the report said. Park employees tried to distract the tiger with firecrackers and tranquiliser darts, but when they managed to get to Mr Jin, the driver was already dead.