Nine Seriously Injured As South Korean Bus Crashes Into 31 Vehicles

At least nine people have sustained serious injuries, while 48 others suffered minor injuries after a public bus crashed into 31 other vehicles in Seongnam, South Korea.

The accident occurred at about 7:34 a.m. on Wednesday in the Bundang district, south of Seoul, involving 32 vehicles, according to the country’s National Fire Agency.

The collision involved four buses, a truck and 27 passenger cars. Reports indicated that the public bus rammed several vehicles, including cars waiting at a traffic light, before crashing into a median barrier.

Emergency responders were immediately deployed to rescue victims and provide medical assistance. The National Fire Agency said it dispatched 88 personnel and 33 emergency vehicles to the scene, where an emergency medical station was also established.

The bus driver sustained injuries and was hospitalised after emergency workers freed him from the damaged vehicle, according to South Korean broadcaster KBS.

Photographs from the scene showed the front of the bus badly damaged, with the vehicle coming to rest against the median barrier.

Meanwhile, authorities have yet to determine the cause of the crash, as police prepare to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Local broadcasters SBS and KBS reported that investigators would examine recordings from the bus’s black-box system, CCTV footage and other available evidence to establish how the collision occurred.

The investigation is expected to determine whether mechanical failure, driver error or other factors contributed to the accident.

The crash caused significant traffic disruption in the affected area as emergency personnel attended to victims and authorities worked to remove the damaged vehicles from the road.

Authorities have not released further details on the condition of the injured victims or announced any preliminary findings, while investigations into the incident continue.