Bus co-driver M. Fadli bin Ibrahim has described how the ALS bus was traveling at about 80 km/h when the driver swerved to avoid a pothole and collided head-on with an oncoming fuel tanker on the Trans-Sumatra Highway, killing 16 people.
According to Fadli, the driver swerved right to avoid a pothole but could not avoid the tanker, which was approaching at high speed. The impact triggered an immediate explosion and fire. Many passengers were asleep or using their phones at the time.
South Sumatra Police continue victim identification. Ten of the 16 bodies have now been identified by the Disaster Victim Identification team and taken to Bhayangkara Mohammad Hasan Hospital in Palembang.
