One person died after a field trip bus, carrying 22 people in total onboard, drove off a section of the winding Hai Van Pass connecting Da Nang and the neighbouring province of Thua Thien - Hue on Tuesday afternoon.

The vehicle ran off a cliff on the pass, leaving one dead and 21 others injured

The 46 - seater bus, en route from the south to north, was carrying 21 students of a junior college, located in the southern province of Kien Giang, who were on a field trip as part of their internship, when it suddenly rolled down the valley off the Hai Van Pass at around 1.30pm.

An initial investigation conducted by the province’s police revealed that the bus driver allegedly lost control of his vehicle when he was driving down the passage, about 6km from the top of the pass.

Rescuers are racing against the clock to bring the victims up from the abyss

Upon receiving reports of the incident, concerned bodies from the 2 localities arrived at the scene, in a prompt fashion, to respond to the deadly accident.

Rescue forces rushed to the scene to remove the injured passengers one by one from the upturned bus, and lift the distressed bus by using cranes.

A view of the heavily damaged bus after the deadly crash

By 3.00pm, a total of 10 victims had been rushed to the Da Nang General Hospital for treatment, including one who had died before arriving at the hospital.

The deceased victim was identified as Vu Thi Thao, a 21-year-old student of the junior college.

One of the hospitalised victims had an arm completely detached from her body after the terrible crash.

Meanwhile, 12 other injured passengers are now being treated at the Lien Chieu District Medical Centre.

It was reported that all of the patients have been out of critical condition and are receiving medical treatment at special wards.

Concerned bodies arriving at the scene to respond to the deadly accident

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.