Lahat Police Call All Passengers Safe After Bus Entering Jurang

Inter-City Inter-Provincial (AKAP) passenger transport bus PO. The son of the Raflesia Solo - Bengkulu route fell into a ravine in Sugiwaras Village, Gumay Talang, Lahat (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Lahat Police officers confirmed as many as 32 AKAP PO bus passengers. Raflesia's son survived after falling into a five-meter deep ravine in Lahat Regency, South Sumatra.

"All bus passengers are safe, yes, including the driver and the conductor," said Head of the Lahat Police Traffic Unit, Adjunct Commissioner of Police, Muryanto, when confirmed by Antara in Lahat, Sunday.

Muryanto explained that the bus numbered BD-7633-CZ departed from Solo, Central Java to Bengkulu crossing Jalan Lintas Tengah Sumatra.

Then upon arrival at the Lahat border road - Empat Lawang, South Sumatra, precisely in Sugiwaras Village, Gumay Talang, Lahat, Saturday (17/6) night the bus suddenly fell into a ravine five meters deep.

He said, based on the results of the examination of several witnesses, this happened because the bus driver was suspected of not being able to control his vehicle.

At that time the bus driver with the initials MF admitted to the police officers trying to avoid vehicles passing in front of him at moderate speed.

However, because the road that was crossed was uphill and there was no gap to take gas, the driver finally decided to swerve to the right and fall into a ravine.

According to him, personnel in the field have evacuated the bus out of the ravine by pulling it in a crane.

Meanwhile, the police also ensured that they had coordinated with the transpotation service provider to arrange the departure of passengers to the destination today.