Story By: John Feng, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
These images show a crowded tourist bus which was violently struck by a 1-tonne boulder that smashed it straight off the road killing 8 people.
The accident happened in the county of Songpan in Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in south-western China’s Sichuan Province on 11th July.
Officials confirmed that eight people had died and 16 were injured in the accident, which happened as the valley road was hit by a miniature landslide carrying rocks and the boulder measuring 2 by 1 metres (6 by 3 feet).
Pictures Credit: AsiaWire
Confirmed dead are bus driver Ma Weicheng, as well as five female passengers and two male passengers.
Authorities say the vehicle, which was en route to Sichuan’s capital of Chengdu, was carrying 30 people including the driver and a tour guide.
Images of the deadly incident show the front and side of the coach having been caved in and ripped open by the 1-tonne boulder, which is still resting at the back of the bus.
According to witness accounts, the boulder struck the front side of the bus and injured passengers as it rolled down the middle of the aisle.
The bus also crashed off the road at the moment of impact.
Prefecture officials say they are in touch with the victims’ families and still investigating the case.
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