Police in Lao Cai province have confirmed that brake failure caused a 29-seat passenger bus carrying 18 people to lose control on an 18% downhill slope in Phinh Ho commune, resulting in nine deaths and nine serious injuries.

Deadly accident on steep S-curve

The accident occurred in Mu Thap village on the evening of December 27. According to the provincial police, the bus’s braking system suddenly malfunctioned while descending the concrete mountain road.

The section where the crash happened features a sharp S-shaped curve consisting of two consecutive bends with an approximate slope of 18%.

After cresting the slope, the bus began accelerating uncontrollably due to total brake failure, veered off the road, crashed into a safety barrier, and overturned.

Eight people were pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver, Do Dang Thinh, 65, from Hanoi, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Nine others were taken to nearby medical facilities, where they remain under intensive care.

Charity trip turns tragic

Earlier that morning, at about 7:40 a.m., the 29B-614xx bus had departed from Hanoi, carrying a volunteer group headed to Ta Ghenh village to deliver supplies to the Hoa My Kindergarten.

Authorities have ordered a technical inspection of the vehicle, and the Ministry of Public Security’s Institute of Forensic Science has been tasked with assessing mechanical defects to determine precise responsibility.

The provincial government has mobilized emergency resources to assist victims and families, and is coordinating with Hanoi-based organizations connected to the charity group.

Anh Tam