Disneyland-bound bus in deadly crash in Japan
- 12 years ago
Seven people were killed in Japan in a crash involving a bus bound for Tokyo Disneyland on Sunday (April 29).
Another 38 sustained critical to superficial injuries when the overnight bus crashed into a three-metre high barrier before pulling onto the Fujioka junction in Gunma Prefecture.
The bus, carrying 45, departed from Kanazawa city on Saturday (April 28) late on Saturday (April 28) and crashed on Sunday morning.
President of the passenger bus company, Yumihide Hariu, expressed his sincere apologies on behalf of his company.
"Seven people died in this accident, I feel immense responsibility. I am extremely sorry," Hariu said.
According to national Japanese broadcaster NHK, the driver admitted to police that he fell asleep behind the wheel.
The president of the bus company, stated that the driver had over four years experience as a bus driver.
The driver called the police and the president himself while stuck in the vehicle.
"I received a call (from the driver) saying that 'I am stuck and cannot get out'," Hariu said.
According to Japanese news source Nikkei, six of those killed were women in their late teens or early twenties and one was a man in his forties.
"I plan to take further action after confirming the details. Right now I am planning to visit the location of victims," Hariu said.
Japanese police said a traffic accident of scale on an expressway has only happened twice before in recorded history, and in both cases involved multiple vehicles.
A case of seven deaths in a single vehicle accident on an expressway is a first for Japan.
Another 38 sustained critical to superficial injuries when the overnight bus crashed into a three-metre high barrier before pulling onto the Fujioka junction in Gunma Prefecture.
The bus, carrying 45, departed from Kanazawa city on Saturday (April 28) late on Saturday (April 28) and crashed on Sunday morning.
President of the passenger bus company, Yumihide Hariu, expressed his sincere apologies on behalf of his company.
"Seven people died in this accident, I feel immense responsibility. I am extremely sorry," Hariu said.
According to national Japanese broadcaster NHK, the driver admitted to police that he fell asleep behind the wheel.
The president of the bus company, stated that the driver had over four years experience as a bus driver.
The driver called the police and the president himself while stuck in the vehicle.
"I received a call (from the driver) saying that 'I am stuck and cannot get out'," Hariu said.
According to Japanese news source Nikkei, six of those killed were women in their late teens or early twenties and one was a man in his forties.
"I plan to take further action after confirming the details. Right now I am planning to visit the location of victims," Hariu said.
Japanese police said a traffic accident of scale on an expressway has only happened twice before in recorded history, and in both cases involved multiple vehicles.
A case of seven deaths in a single vehicle accident on an expressway is a first for Japan.