Road accident kills seven

MANADO, North Sulawesi: A bus and a Kijang van collided in Ongkaw village in Minahasa regency late on Tuesday, leaving seven dead and one injured.

Chief of the police traffic directorate Col. Haryono said an investigation into the accident was under way.

"Several witnesses said the crash took place after one of the bus' tires burst and the driver lost control of his vehicle. At the same time a speeding Kijang came from the opposite direction," Haryono told Antara.

The fatalities, all of whom were killed instantly, were occupants of the Kijang van. Six of them were identified as Junaedy Mokodompit, 31, Soetarno, 29, Nurdin Mahdi, 40, Nasia Mamonto, 48, Halimah Paputungan, 39, and Jeim Manoppo, 48. The other corpse remains unidentified.

Earlier on Saturday, six passengers of a Kijang were killed after their van careened into a ravine in Tibawa district. Three other passengers were severely injured. (emf)