At least 13 killed after bus plunges into Cambodian river en route from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh
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A Sandan district policeman said a bus was on its way from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh when it fell into the water, killing 13.
PHOTO: THE PHNOM PENH POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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PHNOM PENH – The bodies of at least 13 people have been recovered from a sleeper bus that plunged off a bridge in Kampong Thom province, Cambodia, at 4am local time on Nov 20.
More than 20 people were pulled from the water, while over 10 remain missing.
“The bus was on the way from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. Thirteen people died when the bus fell into the water. The 13 victims died inside the bus,” said a Sandan district policeman.
The accident took place in Chey Chumnas village, Kakoh commune, Sandan district, according to the police.
A provincial police officer said that the police were gathering information related to the accident, and survivors were taken to hospital.
A former commune police officer reported that the accident occurred at the O’ Prasat bridge in Chey Chumnas village.
He believed the accident was likely caused by the bus driver falling asleep, causing the bus to hit the bridge barrier and plunge into the water.
“There was no collision with anything else there. Police at the scene concluded that the bus driver may have fallen asleep, hit the right-side bridge barrier, and fallen into the water,” he said.
“The water is deep there – around 5m. I saw the bus being pulled out of the water with bodies inside. It was heartbreaking.”
The bodies of the victims were sent to Kakoh pagoda, which is nearby. THE PHNOM PENH POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
