Multi-Vehicle Pileup Involving School Trip Bus Due to Drowsy Driving... Over 80 Including Middle School Students Injured

Bus Driver Admits "Momentary Drowsiness"
Three Seriously Injured Complain of Eye or Chest Pain

In Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, a multi-vehicle collision involving a school trip tour bus occurred, resulting in over 80 injuries, including middle school students on the bus.

According to the police and fire authorities, the accident happened at around 1:27 PM on the national highway No. 44 in Seongsan-ri, Hwacheon-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon Province, near the entrance of the Donghongcheon Interchange (IC) heading towards Seoul. The collision involved a passenger car, three cargo trucks following it, and three buses behind them, totaling seven vehicles. The police obtained a statement from the driver of the last bus, who admitted to "dozing off briefly."

On the 16th, an eight-vehicle collision involving a school trip bus, a truck, and passenger cars occurred at the entrance of Donghongcheon IC in Seongsan-ri, Hwacheon-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon Province. The accident vehicles are stopped. According to the fire authorities, about 30 people, including students, were injured in this accident.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

It was confirmed that the three tour buses involved in the accident were carrying second-year middle school students and teachers from a school in Seoul on a school trip. Among the tour buses alone, there were 79 injured: 72 students, 4 teachers, and 3 drivers. Of these, three people?one driver and two students?were classified as seriously injured, complaining of eye or chest pain. Additionally, three patients were reported from the three trucks. The fire authorities transported the injured to hospitals in Chuncheon, Hongcheon, and Wonju.

Meanwhile, the school involved in this accident had experienced another incident two days earlier in Gangneung, where a tour bus carrying third-year students on a school trip collided with an 11-ton cargo truck, resulting in five students sustaining minor injuries. The police are currently investigating the detailed circumstances of the accident by questioning the drivers and others involved.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.