10 NRIs among 12 killed in Goa road crash

[dadu]

Mumbai: At least 12 people, including 10 non-resident Indians (NRIs) from Britain and France, were charred to death and 10 other people seriously burnt in Goa when the tourist bus in which they were travelling collided with a tanker filled with acid, leading to an explosion and fire Wednesday afternoon.

The gruesome accident occurred around 1.20 p.m. and involved four vehicles, including the tourist bus carrying 22 people, a tanker carrying acid, and a goods truck, a Goa traffic police official told IANS by phone.

Among the dead were the drivers of the two vehicles that collided. The police were trying to ascertain their identities.

Goa Deputy Superintendent of Police G.P. Mhapne said all the victims were NRIs of Gujarat origin from the US and France. They were returning to places like Vapi and Daman in south Gujarat after holidaying in Goa.

Earlier, they had attended a family wedding in Pardi in south Gujarat.

Mhapne said the tourist bus, bearing a Gujarat registration number (GJ-21T-9540), was travelling from Goa to Gujarat on the Mumbai-Goa National Highway No.17. A goods truck with Goa registration (GA-01Z-1301) was trailing behind it on the busy highway.

While negotiating a steep turn in the Western Ghats outside Pernem, around 12 km from the Maharashtra-Goa border, the truck swerved sharply to the right and collided with the bus from the rear and an oncoming speeding tanker containing acid from the opposite direction.

With the impact of the double collision the tanker bearing Maharashtra registration (MH-04CA-1907) burst into flames that engulfed the tourist bus and the truck and another private vehicle.

Even as some local villagers attempted to rescue the tourists, the flames claimed 10 of them and the two drivers.

Those injured were rushed to the Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim, around 15 km from the spot, Mhapne said.

He said that since the condition of the survivors was serious, the police were yet to record their statements and get details like names, addresses to contact their near and dear ones.

Source

[VJ_MAVRICK]

That was really unfortunate to happen with valuable lives being lost. May their souls rest in peace and NH17 is it not a 4 lane road with dividers ? and this may be a lame query as i havent been on that road and wish if it were there, this mishap could have been avoided.

[Spitfire]

Very horrible accident, probably one of the biggest road accidents in Goa ever.

Pics:

[Jaggu]

May their souls rest in peace, but one thing Goa traffic these days are lil on the rasher side especially with all the 2 lane beautiful tarmac, as seen in the pic.

[Sankar]

May their souls rest in peace.

[NIP]

I can understand how this feels, as it has happened with my family. I lost 6 people in one accident. May their souls rest in peace.

[Nitin]

Holy cow!! Thats one nasty incident!May their souls rest in peace.
No matter who's at fault,lives are lost & that's irreplaceable.

[HappyWheels]

Very nasty accident.

Praying to God to give strength to their loved one at these testing times!

[rks]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

May their souls rest in peace, but one thing Goa traffic these days are lil on the rasher side especially with all the 2 lane beautiful tarmac, as seen in the pic.

The truck following the bus was of Goan registration, whereas the bus was of Gujarati registration. What that might tell us is that the local truck driver knew the ghat road well and might have followed the slow-moving bus closely looking to overtake. Bus might have braked suddenly at the sharp curve or maybe truck attempted a rash overtake.

Another gruesome confirmation of my theory that moving slowly on the highway with vehicles following close behind is not the safest way to travel. A tragic end to what was supposed to be a happy occasion for the tourists.

[CorsaLove]

May their souls rest in peace.

Jaggu - I agree with you on the Goa traffic being on the rasher side. I have personally experienced this. Small but smooth roads are used like a racetrack.

[Spitfire]

This is what happened:

Bus going uphill, the tanker was coming downhill, going too fast(trying to check the limits of his tyres or his ride - sounds familiar?)

That turn keeps turning on you and dosent end, too much speed in the turn, loses control, swings and the rear portion goes bang into the bus.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

This is what happened:

Bus going uphill, the tanker was coming downhill, going too fast(trying to check the limits of his tyres or his ride - sounds familiar?)

That turn keeps turning on you and dosent end, too much speed in the turn, loses control, swings and the rear portion goes bang into the bus.

Is that how it happened (it appears quite logical looking atthe photographs)? Or your assessment of it?

[Spitfire]

Thats how it happened, i have driven down that road like a thousand times and have always dreaded that stretch due to the speeds the heavy vehicles come down, especially early morning when its bright enough.

This is not the first accident on that road lot of minor ones before too. There is a shell of a smashed up Sumo lying there for ages.

Oh the description was given to me by a friend back from Goa he is a reporter for a daily newspaper. The scene was very bad, the kids that survived were too shocked to talk, they saw the whole thing happening right infront of their eyes. The bus driver pulled the 2 kids out before they could get burned.

Sometimes i wonder how 2 secs of adrenaline can devastate a family for some lifetimes.

One of the guys lost his 7 month pregnant wife. And the newly married couple well they never had a honeymoon.

[filcord]

Originally Posted by rks

The truck following the bus was of Goan registration, whereas the bus was of Gujarati registration. What that might tell us is that the local truck driver knew the ghat road well and might have followed the slow-moving bus closely looking to overtake. Bus might have braked suddenly at the sharp curve or maybe truck attempted a rash overtake.

Just to set the record straight, the bus was Guj. registered, but the driver was a Goan whom they had hired to take them back to Gujarat, as their regular driver had been fired (apparently as he used to drink). This is from the newspapers.
I know the curve, it is long and incorrectly banked, so that if you are going too fast, before you know it you're off the road.
From all reports, the tanker was going way too fast. It also had two (yes two) registration plates, one on top of the other, with different numbers.

[rks]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

This is what happened:

Bus going uphill, the tanker was coming downhill, going too fast(trying to check the limits of his tyres or his ride - sounds familiar?)

That turn keeps turning on you and dosent end, too much speed in the turn, loses control, swings and the rear portion goes bang into the bus.

That could be the explanation for why the bus driver braked hard. The truck must have been following close behind the bus as is clear from the following description:

While negotiating a steep turn in the Western Ghats outside Pernem, around 12 km from the Maharashtra-Goa border, the truck swerved sharply to the right and collided with the bus from the rear and an oncoming speeding tanker containing acid from the opposite direction.

What must have caused most of the damage, the fire and the casualties was the head-on collision between the truck and the tanker, moving in opposite directions. The sideways collision between tanker and bus alone would not have taken such a heavy toll.

The truck driver also has to take some blame for not being able to stop in time; must have been following close and couldn't match the power brakes of the bus.