Bus falls into ravine, killing 10 in Sumedang

A Maju Jaya bus serving Tasikmalaya-Karawang in West Java collided with a Colt Diesel truck in  Sumedang on Wednesday afternoon, killing 10 passengers.

The incident took place at around 4:45 p.m.

Sumedang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Arman Achdiat said the bus carrying 40 passengers was speeding from the east.

When the bus reached Cai turnoff, the driver seemed to lose control of the bus and hit the rear of a truck in front of the bus.

“The bus swerved and plunged into a 10-meter ravine. We suspect the brakes on the bus were not working properly,” Arman said on Wednesday.

He said eight bus passengers died on the spot while two others died on the way to hospital. The dead victims and 22 injured passengers were submitted to Sumedang General Hospital.

An eyewitness, Yudi, said bodies of dead and heavily injured passengers were lying on the street for an hour before being evacuated. He said that the evacuation was difficult because the bus had plunged into the ravine.

“There were many residents who tried to help the police to evacuate the victims but the position of the bus made it difficult,” said Yudi.

Sumedang regency is known for its hilly geographical features, making it prone to traffic accidents.

In addition to rough terrain, faulty brakes, especially on public transportation vehicles, have also contributed to traffic accidents in Indonesia.

Earlier on Monday, a Laju Utama bus caused a pileup involving 15 vehicles at kilometer 11.8 on the Jagorawi toll road to Jakarta.

The driver said the brakes were working properly before they broke and the bus hit vehicles in front of it.

Reckless driving has also claimed lives lately, as shown by Jan. 22’s accident when an intoxicated driver slammed her car into pedestrians, killing nine people and injuring three others. Police said they would use Article 338 of the Criminal Code, charging the driver with murder.