Thirteen killed in highway smash in Vietnam
HANOI - Thirteen people were killed and around 50 others injured when two passenger buses collided in central Vietnam after swerving to avoid a cow that had wandered on to the road, a local official said on Monday. The head-on smash occurred on Sunday in the central province of Quang Tri on the country's main north-south highway.
"The two vehicles were travelling at high speed. Eleven people were killed on the spot while two others died after being taken to hospital," said Nguyen Tri Dung, head of the management office of the Quang Tri People's Committee."We did our best to rescue the survivors and take them to hospital. We cannot say precisely how many are injured but we estimate the number to be around 50, many of whom are in a critical condition," he said.
One of the buses had originated from the northern border province of Cao Bang, while the other had departed from Ca Mau on Vietnam's southern-most tip. Quang Tri is located midway between the two provinces. The communist nation has an appalling road safety record mainly due to widespread disregard for traffic regulations and speed limits.
Agence France Presse - 27 Septembre 2004
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