47 passengers were on the way from Siem Reap, home to Angkor Wat, to Phnom Penh, the country’s capital, when a buffalo suddenly crossed the street.
Traveling at high speed, the bus could not brake in time and crashed into the animal. The vehicle overturned and slid along the street for 15m before stopping completely.
Some passengers were slightly injured and tried to get out, while others were stuck inside.
Later, another group of tourists stopped and administered first aid to the injured, who were later taken to a local hospital in KampongThum province, and then the capital Phnom Penh.
According to Dr Trinh Cong Binh, deputy head of the Orthopaedics department at Ho Chi Minh City’s Cho Ray hospital, a car was sent to the Moc Bai border crossing in Tay Ninh province to pick up patients from Cambodia and bring them back to Vietnam.
Among 9 patients, there are two serious cases: Vu Tran Thao Vi and Nguyen Thi Hao, who have soft tissue injuries. 7-year old Vi has her right arm compressed. Nguyen Thi Hong Lien (33) and Vu Quoc Vuong (15) suffered soft tissue injuries to their feet.
By Monday, people with lighter injuries had left the hospital or had been transferred to other hospitals for treatment.
Vu, one of the passengers, the father of Vuong and Vi, said he was taking his family of four on holiday, but they all ended up in the hospital.
“I’m okay but the kids are still so young,” he cried as he gave his daughter, Vi, some medicine.
Vu Trong Ha (33) from Binh Thuan province died in the accident, and his body was taken back to his hometown for funeral.
The three day tour from July 5-8 to Cambodia, departing from Ho Chi Minh City, was co-operated by Nang Xanh, Happy Travel and Viettour travel agency.