11 people were killed and more than a dozen were injured after a bus crashed into students and parents in Eastern China.
NBC News reports the terrifying bus crash happened Tuesday morning at the gate of Foshan Junior High School in Tai’an City in China’s eastern province of Shandong just before 7:30 a.m.
Six parents and five students were killed while 13 people were injured. A bystander shared footage of the bus crash’s aftermath on X (formerly Twitter).
One of the injured was reportedly placed in serious condition while others remained in stable condition. The driver of the crashed bus was taken into police custody.
State media reports the driver “lost control of the bus” and an investigation is underway. The crash occurred just days after students in the area started the new school year.
Authorities revealed that the bus was specially customized for transporting students. The school stated the bus belongs to an “external company,”
It didn’t reveal any more details about the bus’ operator.
The Accident Occurred Years After Nearly a Dozen Chinese and South Korean Kindergarteners Died in a Bus Crash in Eastern China City Weihai
The Foshan Junior High School accident occurred seven years after 11 Chinese and South Korean kindergarteners died in a bus crash in the city of Weihai.
The bus carrying the kindergarteners burst into flames while in a tunnel. Six Chinese students and five South Korean students as well as the bus driver were killed in the crash.
CBS News reports that years later it remains unclear if the accident was deliberate or the result of unsafe driving.
In 2014, more than two dozen students were killed in three separate crashes. The accident happened in the Hunan Province, Shandong, and the island province of Hainan.
The latest bus crash reminded Chinese citizens about the 2017 accident, prompting it to be discussed on China’s X-like social media platform, Weibo.
“It’s so tragic, I can’t imagine the pain the parents must be feeling,” one Weibo user in response to the latest crash. “The school year has just started.”
Since the 2017 bus crash, the country has been focused on transportation dangers. It even added training and vehicle inspections.
Along with transportation incidents, China has also dealt with numerous cases of violent attacks on school children. Among the weapons used in those incidents are knives and explosives. Suspects in these situations reportedly have carried them out as personal vendettas.