A tragic crash on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) has rocked a community. Eight of the ten victims were on their way to a youth camp in Pangasinan, part of a religious group gathering.
Tarlac’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) chief revealed that the victims were riding a Nissan Urvan from Antipolo City. The van was carrying nine people—four children and four adults lost their lives in the devastating accident.
The Nissan Urvan was hit by a speeding bus with such force that it was crushed from its original 10-foot height to just 3 feet. The impact was so severe that the van and its occupants were flattened, making rescue efforts excruciatingly difficult. Bodies were found entangled, a grim testament to the crash’s ferocity.
Meanwhile, two other victims were passengers in an SUV heading to Baguio for a family vacation. Their two-year-old son survived, albeit with minor injuries. Rescue teams initially missed the child inside the wreckage, as he was secured in a child seat and silent amid the chaos. It wasn’t until rescuers opened the vehicle that they found him alive.
From the initial report of 37 injured, officials later confirmed 30, with 27 already discharged from hospitals.
Passengers on the bus shared chilling testimonies. Before the crash, one passenger warned the driver repeatedly to slow down as they neared the toll plaza. Unfortunately, the driver had apparently fallen asleep at the wheel. Fellow passengers had to wake him up moments before the impact.
The bus driver is now under police custody after receiving medical treatment. Authorities are set to meet with bus companies to address safety concerns raised by this tragic incident.
This heartbreaking accident serves as a somber reminder of the need for vigilance on our roads. The lives lost and affected call for urgent action to prevent such tragedies from happening again.