Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The has urged relevant agencies to take urgent measures to eliminate accident-prone hot spots on the winding Hai Van Pass as soon as possible. 

Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The visiting the injured students at the Da Nang General Hospital

His instruction came after a field trip bus, carrying 23 people in total onboard, fell into the abyss while travelling on the mountain pass connecting Da Nang and the neighbouring province of Thua Thien – Hue on Tuesday afternoon, leaving one people dead and 21 others injured.

The majority of the injured are students of the Kien Giang Technology and Economics College (KGTEC) in the namesake province. They were on a field trip as part of their internship.

After having heard the reports on the accident from the Thua Thien-Hue Province administration, Minister The asked the Directorate for Roads of Viet Nam (DRVN) to work with the Deo Ca Investment JSC, the Hai Van Tunnel expansion project’s developer, to quickly handle accident-prone hot spots on the pass.

Accordingly, emergency stopping lanes by the verge of mountain roads along the pass should be constructed in a prompt fashion for additional safety, whilst safety railings should also erected at dangerous curves of the pass within this year. The intention is to mininise the damages in the event of a traffic accident.  

Also, roadside signs to warn road users of risks of crashes should be placed, and rest stops should be built at the foot and on the top of the mountain pass.

Minister The also directed concerned bodies to identify the exact cause of this serious crash as soon as possible.

Also on Tuesday afternoon, Minister The, along with Thua Thien Hue Provincial People's Committee (PC) Chairman Phan Ngoc Tho, Da Nang PC Standing Vice Chairman Dang Viet Dung and some representatives from the National Traffic Safety Committee visited the injured bus passengers receiving treatment at the Da Nang General Hospital.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Director of Da Nang General Hospital, Doctor Le Duc Nhan, said, all the injured passengers are still recovering well after the incident, and all of them are in psychological stability.  

The injured passengers are recovering well after the incident

In particular, one of the hospitalised victims who chopped off her arm during the terrible crash has had it sewn back on thanks to successful emergency surgery at the hospital.

The 21-year-old female student is still receiving intensive care at the hospital.

Previously, rescuers had hunt through the abyss to find the arm and then put it inside a Styrofoam box, and tried to stop blood gushing from the stump.

With regard to support for the bus crash victims, 5 million VND from the municipal Traffic Safety Committee has been given to the dead student’s relatives, whilst 2 million VND has gone to each of the injured.

Mr Nguyen Minh Quan, the KGTEC’s Rector, said the treatment cost will be covered by the college budget.

Rescuers bringing the victims up from the abyss

One of the uninjured passengers said the bus driver had agreed to take the curving pass following a request by the students looking to enjoy the scenery. Normally, vehicles from Da Nang go through the Hai Van Tunnel to reach Thua Thien-Hue.

The curves of the pass make it one of the most challenging roads in the country. Regardless of this warning, coaches still frequently opt to take the mountain pass route to take tourists to a popular historical attraction located on top of the mountain.