By Lee Kyung-min
Eight people were killed and 11 were injured after a bus fell three meters into a farm field following a collision with an SUV in Yeongam County, South Jeolla Province, police said Tuesday. Of those transferred to nearby hospitals, five are in critical condition. The bus carrying 14 passengers and a driver collided with the SUV, hit the guardrail and fell off the road at around 5:21 p.m.
The 14 passengers were returning from farm work and were mostly elderly. Four people in the SUV sustained minor injuries.
Police said the number of casualties was high as the bus crashed into street lights and trees before crashing. Police are checking the fingerprints of some of the victims to confirm their identities.
Two helicopters were mobilized to carry the injured to the hospitals. Police and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority will conduct an inspection today to determine the exact cause of the accident.