Cambodia Driver Arrested After School Bus Crash K Five Plunging Into Pond
A private school bus crashed into a pond in Kandal province, killing five young students and injuring 21 others. The driver is in custody.
POLICY WIRE — Kandal, Cambodia — Five young schoolgirls lost their lives and 21 other students were injured after a private minibus veered into a pond in Kandal province on Tuesday morning.
The tragic incident occurred at approximately 7:10 am local time on National Road 8 in Anlong village, located within the Khsach Kandal district. Authorities have detained the 31-year-old operator, identified in local reports as Meun Thearith, as the investigation into the crash continues.
The vehicle, a 25-seat Mitsubishi, was transporting 26 children from Prey Veng province to the Prek Tameak campus of BELTEI International School. The five victims who perished were between the ages of 12 and 14 years.
In addition to the fatalities, three students were reported to be in critical condition, while another 18 were treated for less severe injuries. Local police noted that the transport had been contracted privately by parents to facilitate the commute from the Pea Reang district in Prey Veng.
Initial evidence indicates the driver was traveling at high velocity when a motorcycle crossed his path at an intersection. The driver reportedly swerved to avoid the motorcyclist, lost control, and sent the bus into the water.
The quick reaction unit of the Kandal provincial police commissariat stated that their early assessment points to speeding and reckless driving as the likely causes of the accident. Kim Pagna, director of the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP Foundation) Cambodia, expressed his sympathies to the grieving families and urged enhanced road safety protocols.
Speaking to The Phenom Penh Post, Pagna suggested that schools should solicit feedback from parents and the public regarding transportation safety since these buses are often not directly managed by the institutions. He advocated for a speed limit of 30 to 40 kilometers per hour for vehicles carrying students to ensure drivers have enough time to react during emergencies.
Pagna emphasized the gravity of losing the next generation while traveling to education and called for the public to prioritize vehicles transporting children, whether they are traveling with family or on services.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
