Tuban Police's traffic division chief First Insp. Sugeng said the eight fatalities were passengers on board the ill-fated Medali Mas bus carrying 65 people from Paiton, Probolinggo, East Java.

"The bus was leaving Tuban *East Java* for Semarang *Central Java* as they were heading to Kudus, Central Java, for a pilgrimage," Sugeng told The Jakarta Post over the phone on Sunday.

Sugeng said the passenger bus was trying to pass a car when a truck that was fully loaded with cement was speeding past from the opposite direction. "Collision was unavoidable and both vehicles rolled to the ground," Sugeng said.

Sugeng also said the eight passengers died instantly before they could be transported to a hospital, while the rest were currently being treated at the RSUD Dr. R Koesma hospital in Tuban. "The majority of victims died from head wounds, while the injured ones mostly suffered from fractures in their legs, hands and backs," Sugeng said.

Thanks to the accident, according to Sugeng, both sides of the northern coastal highway suffered a deadlock traffic jam for over five hours.

Separately, senior Tuban Police officer First Insp. Fakih told Antara news agency on Sunday the police had yet to name a suspect in the accident. "We are still hearing from the truck driver and investigating the scene,' Fakih said.

He added the police had not yet been able to question the bus driver, Sudarmaji, 33, as he was still suffering from a major injury as he broke his leg during the accident.

Fakih also confirmed the eight dead victims were all passengers of the bus including three others who were suffering from major injuries and 13 others suffering from minor wounds.

Seven of the dead victims, he added, were all from Sumberanyar sub-district, Paiton district, Probolinggo regency. They were identified as Khotijah, Yusus, Faisol, Ragimin, Fadilah, Mistiyah and Abul Khalim.

"We're still identifying the other one," Fakih said.

Fakih added the bus seemed to be driving at a high speed at the time the collision occurred.

As a result of the collision, the truck was turned upside down and all of its concrete was scattered over the road. The bus suffered major damage to its right side.

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