Fatal plunge: An aerial view of the road accident in Mabinay, Negros Oriental, where 15 people have died after a truck careered off the road and plummeted down a ravine in central Philippines. — AFP
Fifteen people died and two were injured when a truck carrying livestock traders veered off a winding road and plunged into a ravine 40 to 50m deep in central Philippines, said the provincial police.
“The driver lost his brake and lost control,” Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of Negros Oriental’s provincial police office, told DWPM radio station.
“It was raining for two days so the road was slippery.”
Rescuers rushed to the accident area on Wednesday afternoon, and all passengers were already accounted for, Polinar said. The driver is being treated at a hospital and could face charges, he added.
The Philippines is notorious for its lax regulation on public transportation, including passenger overloading and poorly-maintained roads.
In December, 17 people died when a bus lost its brakes and plunged into a ravine in the central Philippines province of Antique. — Reuters
