One Killed, 16 Injured After Bus Plunges into Ravine in Pacitan

Pacitan, East Java - A bus carrying a bridal entourage from Sukoharjo, Central Java, to Pacitan, East Java, plunged into a 15 meter-deep ravine here, leaving one of the passengers dead and 16 others injured, according to the police. The accident happened at about 10.30 am local time in Ketepung village, Kebonagung sub-district, Pacitan district, Pacitan traffic police chief Adjunct Commissioner Hardono said here on Monday. "All victims, including the dead passenger, have been evacuated to a hospital for identification," he added. The bridal entourage was heading to a marriage function in Sanggrahan village, Kebonagung sub-district. When the overloaded bus was climbing a steep hill road in the Ketepung village, its engine reportedly stopped. "It seems the driver failed to control the steering wheel, so the bus finally rolled into a ravine," the police said. The 36-year-old bus driver, Sutarno, is one of the 16 passengers who sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment in a hospital. (*)