Two serious road crashes happened in Vietnam on the final day of January as the drivers of a passenger bus and a mini-truck lost control over their vehicles, claiming at least four lives and injuring nearly 40 people.

Nguyen Trong Quynh, 39, was driving a 45-seater passenger bus from Ho Chi Minh City to the central province of Quang Tri on Sunday night when he lost control of the vehicle, causing it to exit the carriageway and tumble down a slope.

The accident, which occurred on National Highway 1 in the central province of Quang Ngai, resulted in several injuries to the people on board, who were later taken to Quang Ngai General Hospital.

The bus as well as property aboard were seriously damaged after the crash, with many people hurt, screaming and crying as they were terrified, Hoang Trong Nhat, who was wounded in the accident, said.

“My wife and children were trapped inside the bus. Fortunately, people living nearby arrived and offered their help to get them out,” Nhat recounted.

The patient record of Quang Ngai General Hospital showed that 37 people were admitted to the infirmary after the accident happened.

There were five patients being treated at the hospital by 4:00 pm on Monday, Nguyen Tan Duc, director of the Quang Ngai Department of Health, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

The passenger bus has been taken to a nearby park in order for the authorities to carry out an investigation, said Colonel Bui Van Trang from the local police department.

Another road accident also occurred at around 1:00 am on Sunday in the northern province of Ha Giang, in which four people were killed and three others wounded after a mini-truck fell off a 200 meter steep cliff. 

Preliminary investigation by authorities revealed that the crash happened in foggy weather and this combined with a slippery slope caused the driver to lose control of the mini-truck, said Nguyen Van Khu, chairman of the Ha Giang People’s Committee.     

The four deceased victims were Nong Van Quoc, the driver, Nong Van Hung, 29, Nguyen Van Bao, 20, and Nguyen Van Quan, 27, all of whom were from Yen Minh District, Ha Giang.

Local officials have provided initial support worth VND4 million (US$180) to the family of each victim, according to Chairman Khu.

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