Driver’s attempt to avoid collision sends tourist minibus careening into Bali ravine

Five Chinese tourists died and eight others were hurt when their rental minibus went off the road and fell into a ravine in Bali. The crash happened on Friday while the group was traveling from Denpasar to the Buleleng area in the north part of the island.

According to the New York Post, the minibus had 13 Chinese tourists on board when the accident took place. After the crash, everyone was rushed to a hospital nearby. Sadly, five people did not make it. The driver got hurt but managed to survive.

According to police head Widwan Sutadi, the crash happened because the driver tried to avoid hitting another car on the road. “As the driver was unable to control the vehicle, he swerved it to the left to crash into a tree and try to avoid a collision (with another car). But the minibus was thrown off and plunged into the shallow ravine,” Sutadi told reporters.

This could have been prevented

The roads in northern Bali can be tricky to drive on, especially in areas with lots of turns and hills. Police say the crash happened while the minibus was going around a curve and heading downhill, which is when drivers need to be extra careful.

Sutadi gave more information about how things went wrong. He said the driver was not being careful enough while making the turn and going down the slope. “Due to the driver’s lack of caution when turning and descending, he veered off the asphalt road and into a community garden, causing a traffic accident,” he said.

The minibus left the main road and ended up in a shallow ravine below. Even though the driver tried to hit a tree to stop the vehicle from causing a worse accident, the minibus still went over the edge and landed in the ditch.

People who responded to the emergency came quickly and took all 13 tourists to the closest hospital. Doctors tried their best to help everyone, but five of the passengers died from their injuries. In a separate incident involving driver safety, a Russian taxi driver faced a violent confrontation with a passenger over music preferences.

This accident shows how risky it can be to drive through the mountainous parts of Bali. The road from Denpasar to Buleleng goes through some tough areas with steep slopes and sharp bends that need skilled drivers who know what they are doing. Police are still looking into exactly what made the driver lose control of the minibus. Meanwhile, controversial statements from public figures have sparked debates on various social issues.