Two dead, 43 injured in truck accident

BOGOR (JP): Two students of Pakuan University, Bogor, died and 43 others were injured when their rented military truck plunged into a 50-meter-deep ravine in the Selabintana area in Sukabumi on Sunday afternoon.

The driver, an officer from the 315th Garuda Gunung Batu battalion in Bogor, was arrested for reckless driving by Bogor Police and turned over to the military police.

His identity has been withheld.

Lina, 18, one of the survivors, recalled: "The truck sped all the way from the camp until the driver lost control while trying to avoid a red van and plunged into the ravine."

Lina said she was thrown out of the truck and hung onto a tree, from where she watched the truck plunge further into the ravine.

The 45 students were part of a group of 150 students of the university's schools of economy and education who were on their way home after attending a student initiation camp at Purwabati camping ground in Gunung Gede.

The two fatalities, identified as Leli Fitriani, a fifth semester education student of literature, and Yuliana, an economics freshman, died on their way to hospital.

Leli was almost beyond recognition as most of her facial bones were broken in the accident.

The university's rector was not available for comment. (21/edt)