A 67-year-old minibus driver died and 16 passengers were injured after the minibus they were traveling in flipped and crashed into a boundary wall on Shing Mun Tunnel Road in Sha Tin, the New Territories, on Monday.
At about 8.30 am, the driver of the green minibus traveling from Kwai Chung to Sha Tin lost control after passing the Shing Mun Tunnel near Mei Chung Court, the Oriental Daily reported.
The minibus was badly damaged and ended up on its side with the driver trapped inside. The driver, who had been doing the route for two to three years, suffered serious head injuries and was pronounced dead when he was sent to Yan Chai Hospital.
All 16 passengers, 10 men and six women aged between 18 and 56, had fastened their seatbelts and no one was thrown out of the vehicle during the crash.
They were all conscious and some suffered bone fractures and bleeding from broken glasses. Most received attention at the crash site and were later sent to Yan Chai Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital respectively.
Police traffic inspector Wu Shing-tai said officers were looking into the driver’s mental state and the speed he was driving, Radio Television Hong Kong reported. Wu said initial investigations suggested that mechanical failure was not to blame for the smash.
Police said it was the driver’s third trip of the day. It was understood he had hypertension and needed regular medication.