Brake Failure Causes Bus to Careen Downhill and Overturn in Indonesia, Killing 12 and Injuring 23 Others (video)
- Victor Nwoko
- May 7
- 2 min read
At least 12 people, including two children, were killed and 23 others injured when a passenger bus crashed in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province on Tuesday. The bus, which was traveling from Medan in North Sumatra to Jakarta, lost control while descending a steep hill near a bus terminal in Padang city.
According to West Sumatra traffic police, the bus experienced brake failure on the downhill road. Passengers reported that the driver struggled to regain control of the vehicle as it accelerated down a series of sharp slopes. The bus eventually overturned, trapping many of the victims underneath the wreckage.
Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene and transported both the deceased and injured to two nearby hospitals. Thirteen of the injured were reported to be in serious condition, including the driver, who is currently in critical condition. Authorities are conducting a full investigation to determine the precise cause of the crash.
Footage from the scene showed the overturned bus lying on its side, severely mangled, as rescue workers from the National Search and Rescue Agency, police personnel, and bystanders helped evacuate survivors and recover the bodies of the deceased.
Indonesia continues to grapple with frequent traffic accidents, often linked to poor road infrastructure and inadequate enforcement of safety regulations.
The latest crash follows a series of similar tragedies in recent years. In 2024, a school outing turned deadly in Depok, just outside Jakarta, when a bus carrying 61 students and teachers crashed after a brake failure, killing 11 students and injuring dozens. In 2023, a tourist bus in East Java slammed into a highway billboard due to suspected driver fatigue, killing 14 and injuring 19.
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