Iranian-packed bus crashes, kills 10
At least ten people have been killed when a bus packed with Iranian tourists lost control of its brakes while ascending a steep mountain in central parts of the Philippines.
Police officials present at the scene said Sunday that the bus, which was carrying dozens of mostly Iranian passengers, plummeted into a 100-foot (30-meter) rocky valley near the town of Balamban after its brakes failed.
The Filipino driver, a tourist guide and several passengers were killed on the spot, while others remained critically injured, The Associated Press quoted police Senior Superintendent Erson Digal as saying.
"There are at least 10 bodies laid before me now," Digal said, adding that an unspecified number of passengers were still pinned in the mangled bus wreckage.
The official said rescue efforts were underway by villagers and police forces to pull out victims from the debris. Meanwhile, Air Force helicopters stood ready at the scene to transport the bodies to a military camp for identification.
The increasing rate of deadly accidents in the Philippines are widely believed to stem from substandard vehicles, inadequate safety signs, as well as poorly-maintained railings, training and traffic law enforcement.
Source: presstv.ir
