A horror bus crash claimed the lives of 16 people (Picture: EPA)
At least 16 people have died after a bus lost control while going round a corner on a hill and plunged down a steep ravine.
A baby is among those killed and 12 others were injured in the crash in central Philippines on Tuesday afternoon.
Officials said eight of those hurt in the horrifying smash in Hamtic in the Antique province are in a critical condition
The driver also died when the bus veered off a mountain road through a concrete railing and hurtled 100 feet downwards.
‘The driver was repeatedly sounding his horn because he had apparently lost control of the bus before it plummeted into the ravine,’ said Ronniel Pabustan, an Antique provincial crisis responder citing accounts by some of the passengers.
Dozens of rescuers, including police, army troops and provincial emergency responders used stretchers and ropes to bring the victims back up the ravine.
‘It’s so tragic and painful because this happened close to Christmas,’ he said.
A baby was among those killed in the crash, along with the driver who reportedly sounded the horn moments before (Picture: EPA)
The long search for victims ended overnight.
But provincial officials urged village leaders to alert emergency personnel if they find any more at the scene of the accident in a thickly wooded area at the bottom of the ravine.
Emergency services had rushed to the scene at around 4pm when the bus heading for Cusi town crashed.
Attempts to bring survivors to safety continued for hours due to the steepness of the ravine and lack of mobile signal in the area.
12 people were injured, with eight of those critical, after a lengthy rescue operation (Picture: EPA)
Roderick Train, head of the Antique disaster agency, said: ‘This is a mountain road, so the bus fell from a high place.
‘That’s why the impact caused many casualties.
‘This Hamtic-Iloilo road is an accident-prone area and what happened, based on the witnesses, was a mechanical failure.
‘The driver lost control – possible brake failure.’
Emergency services worked to bring the victims to safety from the steep ravine (Picture: EPA)
In a statement, Antique governor Rhodora Cadiao added: ‘For the families, it’s not right for me to say “don’t worry”.
‘But we’d like to assure you that whatever hospitalisation, medicines, and what they need we will take care of that.’
Bus operator Vallacar Transit, Inc. (VTI) said the company was ready to cooperate in investigations, adding 12 other buses under the franchise until the matter has been resolved.
The company’s statement read: ‘VTI will be providing assistance to the passengers and their families, as well as shouldering the medical and burial expenses.’
Road safety is a problem in the Philippines, where poor infrastructure, lax enforcement of traffic regulations, and a high number of road users result in frequent accidents.
It comes after 14 people were killed and 30 others were injured in a bus crash in Thailand after the ‘driver fell asleep’.
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A baby was among those who died and 12 others were injured.