Seventeen people have been killed and dozens more injured in a bus crash in Hong Kong, police say.

The accident happened at around 0900 (0100 GMT) in Sai Kung in the eastern part of the territory.

The driver appeared to have lost control of the bus on a hill, causing it to crash and overturn, police said.

He has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, police said, and an investigation into the cause of the accident is under way.

Most of the passengers were elderly people being driven to a religious ceremony when the accident happened, local media reports said.

Forty-five other passengers were taken to hospitals, many of whom were said to have broken bones.

Ho Chak Kan, of the territory's police force, said officers were still assessing the cause of the accident.

"We will look at whether it was due to speeding or whether there was anything wrong with the parts of the bus," Mr Ho said.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang described it as Hong Kong's "most serious accident in recent years".