Nineteen dead, more than 60 injured in ‘chaotic’ Hong Kong double-decker bus crash

The wreckage of a double-decker bus in Hong Kong that crashed on Saturday leaving 19 people dead and more than 60 injured was removed from the crash site for further inspection on Sunday morning.

All lanes of Tai Po Road between Chek Nai Ping and Tsung Tsai Yuen in Tai Po were reopened to traffic at 6.40am. All bus routes travelling along the motorway have resumed normal services.

At about 6.15pm on Saturday, a KMB bus, route 872, was travelling from Sha Tin racecourse towards Tai Po. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle as he was pulling into a turn near Tai Po Mei, causing the bus to flip over onto its side.

Fifteen men and three women were confirmed dead at the scene, while 63 injured passengers were rushed to a dozen hospitals across the city. A sixteenth man was confirmed dead at a hospital later at night, taking the death toll to 19.

It was Hong Kong’s deadliest bus accident in nearly 15 years, sparking a full-scale emergency operation.

As of 10.30am on Sunday, 10 men and one woman were in critical condition at Kwong Wah, Prince of Wales, Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth hospitals.

At least 21 men were also hospitalised in serious condition and at least one woman was now in stable condition.

[link to m.scmp.com]