20 Dead as truck drives off cliff

[Mike J]

So many beautiful children lost.  I cannot imagine the depth of grief their parents are feeling.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/least-15-dead-truck-falls-070819083.html

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Twenty villagers were killed and 14 others were injured when the truck they were riding in lost control and fell off a cliff Tuesday in a remote mountain village in the southern Philippines, police and the Red Cross said.

Provincial police chief Joel Limson said the truck was negotiating a downhill road in Tboli town in South Cotabato province when its brakes apparently failed and plummeted down a ravine, pinning 15 people to death. Five other victims later died in hospitals, Limson said.

Police, Red Cross volunteers and villagers retrieved the 15 bodies from the wreckage at the bottom of the ravine. Some of the dead included children returning from a family reunion at a beach resort, Limson said by phone.

Red Cross leader Erwin Rommel del Carmen said several passengers survived by jumping off the wayward bus.

"Majority of the survivors jumped out of the bus as it ran out of control. They were scattered on the mountainside," del Carmen, who was among those who retrieved the dead, said by phone.

Video posted by witnesses online showed the upland road where the accident happened has no steel or concrete railing. Below, the mangled wreckage of the truck is seen lying on its side.

Deadly road accidents are common in the Philippines because of weak enforcement of traffic laws, rickety vehicles and inadequate road safety railings and signs, especially in the countryside.

[insite]

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1823432/Davao/Local-News/170-vehicular-accidents-recorded-in-one-week

[Tommy T.]

Very sad to read these stories. I am also a bit surprised there aren't more deadly collisions considering driving habits here. L and I cringe whenever we see an open back truck packed with people in the back - some of them standing and others sitting on the side or back...

[sonjack2847]

I feel very sorry for the victims and their families but the brakes did not fail they were not there in the first place.It`s about time the government took some control over this as sadly they are very lacking in the roadworthy state of vehicles.

[Marvin Boggs]

Ever see one of the mountain buses with school children riding on the roof?  Just kicking back up there, enjoying the breeze and holding on to the little roof railing.  Crikey.  I'm just amazed we don't hear about more incidents like this one, given the amount of brazen risk people seem willing to take. 

 

[scott h]

1 hour ago, sonjack2847 said:

It`s about time the government took some control

It is times like these that we are starkly reminded that we live in a 3rd world country where the government at most levels is actually very weak. I would be surprised if there is not a law on the books somewhere about overcrowding trucks, the government is incapable or enforcing and the people would ignore it anyway.

I am not surprised when these things happen in India, Bangladesh or Pakistan, why are we surprised it happens here? 

[sonjack2847]

2 hours ago, scott h said:

why are we surprised it happens here?

I suppose it`s closer to home for us.

[BC57]

6 hours ago, Mike J said:

So many beautiful children lost.  I cannot imagine the depth of grief their parents are feeling.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/least-15-dead-truck-falls-070819083.html

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Twenty villagers were killed and 14 others were injured when the truck they were riding in lost control and fell off a cliff Tuesday in a remote mountain village in the southern Philippines, police and the Red Cross said.

Provincial police chief Joel Limson said the truck was negotiating a downhill road in Tboli town in South Cotabato province when its brakes apparently failed and plummeted down a ravine, pinning 15 people to death. Five other victims later died in hospitals, Limson said.

Police, Red Cross volunteers and villagers retrieved the 15 bodies from the wreckage at the bottom of the ravine. Some of the dead included children returning from a family reunion at a beach resort, Limson said by phone.

Red Cross leader Erwin Rommel del Carmen said several passengers survived by jumping off the wayward bus.

"Majority of the survivors jumped out of the bus as it ran out of control. They were scattered on the mountainside," del Carmen, who was among those who retrieved the dead, said by phone.

Video posted by witnesses online showed the upland road where the accident happened has no steel or concrete railing. Below, the mangled wreckage of the truck is seen lying on its side.

Deadly road accidents are common in the Philippines because of weak enforcement of traffic laws, rickety vehicles and inadequate road safety railings and signs, especially in the countryside.

This happens a lot in the PH. They have no concept of performing vehicle maintenance at all. There have been numerous accidents this year alone in the PH where the brakes failed on the larger type trucks. These type of accidents should not happen because lack of maintenance. Here is some more inside information as a family friend is familiar with the family that was involved. Allegedly the driver doesn't have a DL, and he was trying to avoid a LTO checkpoint. The owner of the truck is the person who put on the reunion. RIP

[hk blues]

Unrelated, but not completely.  We were at a family event on Saturday.  My group were travelling by public transport but we needed to get to the Jeepney stop.  The whole group jumped onto the truck and off we went.  When we got off I was surprised to see that the uncle, not the aunt, was driving.  He had been drinking all day along with the rest of us!  I asked my wife and her sister if they knew who had been driving and they said yes.  Now, I could have lectured them on why they shouldn't have got on the truck etc etc but what would be the point?  

The general lack of appreciation of danger and risk here is shocking.   

[Clermont]

3 hours ago, scott h said:

It is times like these that we are starkly reminded that we live in a 3rd world country where the government at most levels is actually very weak. I would be surprised if there is not a law on the books somewhere about overcrowding trucks, the government is incapable or enforcing and the people would ignore it anyway.

I am not surprised when these things happen in India, Bangladesh or Pakistan, why are we surprised it happens here? 

It is a third world country I agree, but action is being taken to eliminate these senseless carnages we here about. It's a bit early yet, but in a day or two, the owner, cousins, wife even the dog will be charged and a hell of chest strutting performance will be carried out by DOTC. Then when the media finds another story, only the dog will be charged, and the others will be bailed to appear in court in 15/20 years time, that's how long the court system takes to here these sort of cases.

Now Scott you ask about laws on over crowding on public transport, Trikes included,  yes there is a law and in the last few years around more populated provinces they are stopping people from ridding outside the vehicle. Most drivers are only casual drivers,( Jeepneys included ) and when pulled up they are not allowed to drive a pay faring vehicle again, simple just use another driver, but the DOTC is wising up and starting to take the vehicles franchise off them, the owners are getting the message, don't forget it might be there relation the cops are trying to pinch. The laws are working as on this site we have read about getting pinched for, lack of helmet, ridding with flip flops, no seat belts, all the things that we get done for back home. Yes it is sad to read these stories, but they are not limited to just the PI's our own countries have horror stories too.

I haven't got time, but one of the members might be able to start a new topic off, accident statistics over the last ten years, then we might see if the laws are starting to work.