The most common mode of transportation, buses, are known for their affordability and efficiency. However, one cannot deny there are huge risks associated with relying on buses, including being a victim of bus accidents. Since day one, road accidents have been claiming the lives of many in horrific ways. Bus accidents are notoriously frequent and can turn deadly in most cases. A simple look into the history of the world’s worst bus accidents can prove this in a heartbeat.
A LOOK BACK TO A TRAGIC PAST: DIVING DEEPER INTO THE WORST BUS ACCIDENTS
Even though most do not prefer knowing the horrific details or information on the worst bus accidents that left a mark in history, it is important to get familiar with them for a better understanding of your safety and rights as a passenger or relatives of a passenger.
Bus accidents are often caused due to negligence. So, do get familiar with the world’s tragic bus accidents that ended in massive devastation of catastrophic proportions and the loss of multiple lives affecting many individuals, communities, and society as a whole. Being informed about them will ensure a worthy knowledge of safe transport, driver’s education, and transport operations and maintenance.
Below the world’s worst bus accidents are listed. So, to learn more, do give the list a read!
TOP TRAGIC BUS ACCIDENTS IN THE WORLD WITH HIGH DEAD-COUNT
* Kintampo Bus Accident of 2016, Ghana (Dead: 71)
On 17th February 2016, a passenger bus with a 50 people seat capacity loaded more than 80 passengers when traveling the usual Kumasi-Tamale route in Africa, stretching from 242 miles. During night time, the said bus collided with a cargo truck head-on in the Kintampo town. It was reported that the breaks on the bus failed. The world still remembers this horrifying incident as photos of the impact went viral. The two vehicles looked like it was meshed together and the truck looked like it was inside the bus.
The collision took the lives of 71 lives then and there. Later 10 deaths were added to the total when the injured, surviving passenger lost their battle after their hospital admission. Resecurer worked for hours freeing the trapped passengers under the wreckage.
* Cavite Bus Accident of 1967, Philippines (Dead: 84)
The Tuy-Indang segment was constructed during the 1920s-1930s on the famous Batangas–Cavite Interprovincial Road to provide a straight link from western Batangas to Manila’s capital city. In the segment, there is a wooden bridge that plays a pivotal role in connecting two towns separated by a river.
Even though the wooden bridge has been reinforced with steel, it is considered a high-risk area when traveling through the segment. Only a couple of years before this world-famous bus accident, a truck accident took the lives of 40 people on the same site as the tragic bus accident of 1967. The bus accident is known as The Cavite bus crash incident as it happened in Indang, a rural town located in Cavite, Philippines.
A total of 2 buses carrying Catholic pilgrims crashed into each other near the bridge, taking the lives of 84 passengers, including mostly children and women. This incident stunned and horrified the world and is considered the worst bus accident in Philippines history.
* Karnataka/Davanagere Bus Accident of 1999, India (Dead: 94)
On 8th June 1999, an overcrowded bus (privately owned) carrying over 100 passengers was heading to Malebennuer from Davanagere of the Karnataka State located in the southern part of India. According to reports, the actual cause is not known, but it is believed the bus lost control after one of its tires collapsed and landed upside-down into a lake.
The confirmed time when the incident took place was around 5:30 PM. The bodies of dead and injured passengers were fished out from the lake by rescuers. The total number of lives claimed by this terrifying bus accident is 94, including 15 children, 34 women, and 45 men.
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* Hida River Flooding Bus Accident of 1968, Japan (Dead: 102)
August 18th 1968 witnessed heavy rain caused by a typhoon, resulting in the flooding of the infamous Hida River in Gifu, Japan. After visiting Mount Norkura, 15 buses were returning to Nagoya carrying the sightseers. Due to the flooding, the buses encountered the effects of a hillside collapse on the route around 1:20 AM. A total of 2 out of the 15 buses were engulfed by the overflowing river and taken downstream. A rescue squad, consisting of around 1,000 workers, were only successful in the recovery of 28 bodies. The surviving passengers in total is 3, including the driver while the total death totaled 102 passengers.
* Yungas Road Bus Accident of 1983, Bolivia (Dead: 100+)
Bolivia and the world were shocked and mourned together when the devastation caused by the Yungas Road bus crash was shown. The incident took place on 24th July. The road is renowned as the Death Road. A bus driver responsible for an overcrowded bus lost control, causing the bus to plunge off a steep cliff. The bus fell more than 656ft (200m) into a treacherous ravine. This accident took the lives of over 100 passengers.
* Cerro de la Silla Bus Accident of 1988, Mexico (Dead:100+)
This particular, dangerous bus wreck case is considered one of the deadliest bus accidents in the world as it took the lives of more than 100 pilgrims passengers out of 111. The bus in question was near the Monterrey city of Nuevo León located in the northeastern part of Mexico. It is reported that the bus ran off the road and went down 150 feet into a ravine. This incident caused a massive outburst and the world mourned the loss of more than 100 lives. The incident still haunts the mountains of Cerro de la Silla and will be remembered for years to come.
A FINAL NOTE: LEARNING FROM HISTORY AND IMPROVING FOR THE FUTURE
A deeper dive into the world’s most horrific and deadly bus accidents can provide the required insight and a better understanding of transport safety that leads to effective and efficient implementation of overall travel safety methods. Increasing knowledge on transport safety is necessary for innovative steps and continuous efforts for a better and safer future. So, do research more about the above-listed bus accidents from all across the globe that imprinted their existence into the pages of history.