Coach crash in Cam Ranh leaves 11 dead

Eleven passengers died and more than 50 others were injured in a head-on collision between two buses in Cam Ranh City, central Khanh Hoa Province early this morning.

The accident occurred at 12:40 am in the city’s Cam Nghia Ward when a coach coming from the north slammed into one going in the opposite direction, said Senior Lieutenant Pham Van Cuong, deputy head of the provincial Traffic Police Department.

The north-south coach was operated by the Chin Nghia Company, while the other was owned by the Cuc Dung Company, Cuong said.

The head-on collision killed nine passengers instantly and injured 49 others, two of whom died on the way to the hospital.

The other injured victims are being treated at Cam Ranh City General Hospital and Cam Lam District General Hospital.

At 7:30 am the Cam Ranh City General Hospital said it had received 48 victims from the crash. At that time five recevied emergency surgery, while further operations were later conducted on more victims.

The hospital has mobilized 65 doctors and other health workers to help treat the large number of victims

At 7:40 am, the Cam Lam General Hospital reported that 11 people had been taken to the hospital, though one had died on the way.

At 8:10 am the Khanh Hoa General Hospital said its mortuary had received several bodies of dead passengers.

At 8:25 am, the Naval Zone 4 Hospital received 15 victims, three of whom are in critical condition.

A deputy director of the provincial Police Department arrived at the scene to direct rescue efforts and handle the aftermath.

Many other police units in the province have assisted the Cam Ranh police in responding to the terrible accident.

According to initial investigation, the accident was occurred while the coach coming from the north was speeding in the wrong lane, said Senior Lieutenant Colonel Dau Quang Tuyen, deputy head of the Cam Ranh City Police.

City authorities have given VND2 million (US$96) to each of the families of the dead victims, VND1 million to every seriously injured victim, and VND500,000 to every slightly injured victim as initial support.

Friday 8 March 2013

http://www.tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitrenews/society/coach-crash-in-cam-ranh-leaves-11-dead-1.99734