Death toll in Philippine bus crash climbs to 15
TANAY, Philippines — The death toll has risen to 15 from a bus crash in the Philippines, officials said Tuesday, and could climb further as many of the nearly 50 others who were hurt in the accident are in serious condition.
Most of the dead and injured were college students on the way to a camping trip on Monday when the brakes on their chartered bus apparently failed on a steep downhill road. The out-of-control bus then smashed into an electric post, shearing off most of its roof.
Berlito Bati Jr., a disaster-response officer in Tanay town in Rizal province east of Manila, where the accident happened, said the dead included the driver and a professor.
He said the latest victim died late Monday. There were 62 people on board, although bus manifest listed only 58, Bati said.
