This article may be excessively based on contemporary reporting. (March 2024) |
On 28 October 2018 at 10:02 a.m., a bus plunged 50 metres (164 ft) off the Second Wanzhou Yangtze River Bridge into the Yangtze River in Wanzhou District, Chongqing, China. At least thirteen people died, and two are missing.[2] Since 15 people were onboard at the time of the crash, it is believed that there were no survivors.
| 2018 Chongqing bus crash | |
|---|---|
  Location of the incident | |
 | |
| Details | |
| Date | 28 October 2018 10:02 AM China Standard Time (UTC+8) |
| Location | Second Wanzhou Yangtze River Bridge, Wanzhou District, Chongqing, China |
| Country | China |
| Line | No. 22 Wanzhou Public Bus |
| Incident type | Plunge from bridge |
| Cause | Driver distracted by an altercation with passenger |
| Statistics | |
| Passengers | 14[1] |
| Crew | 1 |
| Deaths | 13 deaths (including both perpetrators), 2 missing[1]
15 deaths (result) |
| Injured | 1 (in another car) |
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Police: Chongqing Bus Tragedy Caused by Fight Between Driver and Passenger - Footage of Attack and Accident | CGTN |
Crash
editAt approximately 10:02 a.m., the bus, traveling at 51 km/h, turned into the opposite lane and smashed through the safety barriers on the side of the bridge before plunging into the river. Initial reports indicated that the bus had swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle; however, footage recovered from the bus shows that a female passenger had attacked the driver, who retaliated.[2] Local police have said the fight was the cause of the crash. Police said the pair began arguing when the driver refused to let her off the bus after she missed her stop. The footage shows the pair gesturing at each other before the woman swung at the driver with her mobile phone.[1][3]
Chinese authorities were able to eventually determine what happened based on the vehicle's black-box recording, witness accounts, and surveillance videos along the bus route.[4][5][6][7]
Recovery
editDivers recovered 13 bodies following a large rescue operation using a floating crane to recover the wreckage. Two people remain missing.[8]
Zhao Hu, a lawyer, told Chinese state media that the families of the crash victims could seek damages from the relatives of the bus operator and the female passenger who started the fight. The police have said the passenger and the driver broke laws by endangering public safety.[9] Zheng Chuankai, a lawyer with Anli Partners in Beijing, said the incident underscored the need to maintain strict laws to punish those who endanger public safety. "This case is very typical and very vicious," he said.[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c mmm, ed. (1 November 2018). "13 bodies retrieved after bus plunges into river in Chongqing". Xinhuanet. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- ^ a b Zhang, Phoebe (5 November 2018). "Fresh attacks on Chinese bus drivers trigger bout of soul-searching". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
- ^ Liangyu, ed. (28 October 2018). "Bus blamed for fatal crash in Chongqing". Xinhuanet. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- ^ "Chongqing bus plunge caused by fight between driver and passenger". BBC News. 2 November 2018. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- ^ Alice Yan (2 November 2018). "Watch: how an angry passenger caused a bus crash in China". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- ^ Liang Chenyu (2 November 2018). David Paulk (ed.). "Passenger-Driver Fight Caused Chongqing Bus Accident, Police Say". Sixth Tone. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- ^ "Bus plunges into Chinese river after fight between driver and passenger". The Guardian. 2 November 2018. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- ^ Peter Stubley (2 November 2018). "Bus plunged off bridge in China after passenger fought with driver over missed stop, police say". The Independent. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- ^ Yan, Sophia (2 November 2018). "Chinese bus drove off bridge and sank after passenger attacked driver, video shows". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- ^ Javier C. Hernández; Albee Zhang (2 November 2018). "Fury Erupts in China as Video Shows Fight Led to Fatal Bus Crash". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.