A long-haul bus carrying a group of 23 Chinese visitors overturned on a pass in Vietnam on Tuesday afternoon, leaving four Chinese dead and several others injured.

The 29-seater bus driven by Ho Ngoc Hung, 58, who lives in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, was heading from the highland city of Da Lat to Nha Trang, a famous beach city in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, on National Highway 27. 

The vehicle was traveling on Khanh Le Pass in Khanh Hoa when the rollover happened at 3:30 pm, said a leader of the People’s Committee of Khanh Vinh District.

The bus slid off the road and was damaged after it flipped over on its side.

Many passengers on board shouted out for help, while some others managed to break the doors and windows to escape from the overturned bus.

Four of the Chinese passengers were confirmed dead but their identities have not been announced.

Traffic police officers and medical workers were quickly dispatched to the scene of the crash for rescue operations.

The injured were taken to the Khanh Hoa General Hospital for medical treatment.

The deadly accident is under investigation, said Nguyen Van Dan, director of the provincial Department of Transport and deputy head of the provincial standing board for traffic safety.

Among the deceased, three died on the spot, while the other was pronounced dead on the way to the hospital, said Dan.

The preliminary cause of the fatal accident was that the bus’ brakes were not working, Dan reported.

The driver of the bus tested negative for alcohol and illicit drugs.

After being notified of the incident, the Khanh Hoa Department of External Relations informed the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations, said a representative of the department.

The Khanh Le Pass area is 1,700 meters above sea level, and spans 33 kilometers. The pass lies on a national highway linking Nha Trang City and Da Lat City. The pass has several turns, so there have been many traffic accidents there.

The prime minister on Tuesday night issued a telegram asking the chairman of the Khanh Hoa People’s Committee and the head of the provincial traffic safety board to direct competent agencies and medical workers to focus on treatment for the injured.

The province was told to collaborate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy to create favorable conditions for the families of the victims to complete relevant procedures to receive their bodies in line with the prevailing regulations.

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