State media reported on Wednesday that fourteen people lost their lives, and 37 others sustained injuries following a bus crash inside an expressway tunnel in northern China. The accident occurred shortly after 2:30 pm local time on Tuesday in Shanxi province.
According to CCTV, the state broadcaster, the bus, carrying 51 passengers, collided with the tunnel’s interior wall, resulting in the tragic incident. Xinhua, the state news agency, confirmed the death toll and injuries without specifying the severity of the survivors’ conditions.
This incident comes after similar tragedies in recent years, including a pile-up in central Hunan province last February that claimed 16 lives and left dozens injured. Additionally, in the month prior, 19 people perished, with 20 others injured in a road accident in eastern Jiangxi province.
In a separate incident, a South Korea-flagged chemicals tanker with 11 crew members onboard capsized off Japan’s southwestern coast. Five individuals remained unaccounted for as the coastguard launched a rescue operation. The tanker, reportedly carrying acrylic acid, prompted concerns about potential environmental impact, although no leaks were confirmed.
The vessel, identified as the Keoyoung Sun, according to NHK, sought assistance after tilting near the island of Mutsure. The Japan Coast Guard received a distress call early Wednesday morning and dispatched rescue teams to the scene. The ship’s operator declined to comment on the incident.
