DEPOK, INDONESIA – A tragic bus accident in Depok, Indonesia, resulted in the loss of 11 lives, including students and a teacher, following a reported brake failure. The bus, filled with 61 high school students and teachers, was returning from a graduation celebration in the resort area of Bandung when the incident occurred.
On a downhill stretch of road in the West Java province, the bus lost control due to an alleged brake malfunction. This led to the bus careening across lanes, colliding with multiple cars and motorbikes before crashing into an electricity pole.
The accident claimed the lives of 11 individuals, comprising mostly students, a teacher, and a local motorist. Nine victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. In addition to the fatalities, 53 people were hospitalized with injuries, some in critical condition.
The aftermath of the accident was a grim scene, with the wrecked bus lying on its side in the dark, surrounded by rescue personnel, police, and bystanders. Ambulances were on the scene to transport the injured to local hospitals.
The cause of the accident is under investigation, though initial findings suggest a brake malfunction. This incident underscores the frequent road accidents in Indonesia, often attributed to subpar safety standards and infrastructure. Previous incidents include a tourist bus crash in East Java last year, which killed 14 individuals and injured 19, and a similar brake malfunction in 2021 that led to a bus plunging into a ravine, resulting in 27 fatalities and 39 injuries.