Students among 11 dead in Indonesia bus crash

Indonesian officials say a bus slammed into cars and motorbikes after its brakes apparently malfunctioned in West Java province, killing at least 11 people, mostly students, and injuring dozens of others

Officers check the debris and belongings of passengers after a bus crash that killed 11 people, according to local police, in Subang, West Java, on May 11, 2024. | Photo Credit: AFP

A bus slammed into cars and motorbikes after its brakes apparently malfunctioned in Indonesia’s West Java province, killing at least 11 persons, mostly students, and injuring dozens of others, officials said on Sunday.

The bus carrying 61 students and teachers was returning to a high school in Depok outside Jakarta, the capital, late on Saturday from the hilly resort area of Bandung after a graduation celebration, said West Java police spokesperson Jules Abraham Abast.

It sped out of control on a downhill road and crossed lanes, hitting several cars and motorbikes before it crashed into an electricity pole, he said.

Nine persons died at the scene and two others died later in the hospital, including a teacher and a local motorist, the Mr. Abast said. Fifty-three other people were hospitalised with injuries, including some in critical condition, he said.

“We are still investigating the cause of the accident, but a preliminary investigation showed the bus’s brakes malfunctioned,” Abast said.

Road accidents are common in Indonesia due to poor safety standards and infrastructure.