Coach accident kills two on Hanoi-Lao Cai Highway
Two people were killed on the spot while 24 were injured after two coaches running in the same direction collided on the Noi Bai-Lao Cai Highway on December 21 afternoon.
The accident happened in Vinh Phuc Province's Lap Thach District on the 265km highway, which connect Hanoi to the northern province of Lao Cai. The collision killed a couple from Hanoi sitting at the front of the second coach. Both vehicles were seriously damaged.
Most of the injured were taken to Vinh Phuc General Hospital, while some were transported to Phu Ninh Hospital in the neighbouring Phu Tho Province.
In response to the accident, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is also the Chairman of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, asked all relevant agencies to investigate the accident immediately.
In his urgent official message to traffic safety committees in Vinh Phuc, Lao Cai and Hanoi, as well as related agencies under the Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Transport, Phuc instructed police to start their investigation into the accident and identify the victims.
The traffic safety committee in Vinh Phuc Province has been assigned to supply health workers, medicine and medical equipment to minimise human losses.
The Directorate of Vietnam was asked to provide transport data for the investigation and review inter-provincial coach safety.
The Vietnam Expressway Corporation was asked to check problems on the expressway.
Also on December 21, two separate accidents killed two and injured three others.
A truck killed a student and severely injured three others yesterday in Bau Lam Commune, Xuyen Moc District in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.
The truck reportedly moved into the opposite lane and hit a group of four students from the local Hoa Binh High School.
The truck's driver and another man who was in the truck were also slightly injured when it fell off the side of the road. The case is under investigation.
Another man died after being hit by a train running from Hanoi to the central city of Vinh.
Dinh Van Dinh, 36, was said to have deliberately driven his motorbike over the railway even though the train was approaching. He and the motorbike were dragged 200 metres by the train.