MANILA - Fifteen people were killed on Feb 21 after a truck plummeted down a ravine in the central Philippines, a rescue official said.

The vehicle was carrying people on their way to a livestock market on Negros island, Mr Michael Cabugnason, a rescue official from Mabinay municipality, told AFP.

“Witnesses said the truck went out of control towards the sharp bend of the road,” he said, adding that the mountainous area near Mabinay was a frequent scene of road accidents.

Of the 17 people on board, only one passenger and the driver survived.

The driver was found drenched in motor oil in the wreck at the bottom of the ravine at least 50m below the road, Mr Cabugnason said.

Deadly road accidents are common in the Philippines, where drivers frequently flout the rules and vehicles are often poorly maintained or overloaded. AFP