At least eight people were killed and 26 injured when a passenger bus overturned on a motorway near Antalya on Sunday morning. Local authorities said the road surface was slippery due to rain, while fog was also reported in the area. Several of the injured remain in serious condition.
Details of the accident
According to the governor of Antalya, Hulusi Şahin, the bus was carrying 34 passengers from Tekirdağ to Antalya.
The accident occurred at 10:20 local time (09:20 Cyprus time) on a motorway that had become slippery because of rainfall. The bus struck roadside barriers and overturned into a ditch in the Döşemealtı area.
“There was also fog. This is an intersection where speed should be reduced, but it appears the bus entered at high speed,” Şahin told journalists. He added that eight people lost their lives and 26 were injured, all of whom were transferred to nearby hospitals.
The governor did not specify whether any foreign nationals were among the victims.
Condition of the injured
Authorities confirmed that some of the injured passengers are in serious condition and remain under medical supervision in hospitals in the Antalya region.
Judicial investigation launched
Turkey’s Minister of Justice, Yılmaz Tunç, announced that a judicial investigation has been launched into the crash.
In a statement posted on social media, Tunç said that the investigation has been assigned to one deputy chief public prosecutor and two public prosecutors. He expressed condolences to the families of the eight people who died and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, noting that the investigation is being conducted thoroughly by the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Message from the Turkish parliament
The Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Numan Kurtulmuş, also issued a condolence message.
In a post on social media, Kurtulmuş said he prayed for mercy for those who lost their lives in the tragic accident involving the passenger bus travelling from Tekirdağ to Antalya, and extended his condolences to their families while wishing a swift recovery to the injured.
Source: iefimerida.gr