Superintendent U Zeya of Loilem General Hospital confirmed to The Irrawaddy that four students and a driver were killed and 17 people were injured in a car accident near Harm Ngai village in Mong Kung Township of southern Shan State’s Loilem District on Monday morning.

Dr. U Zeya said he was told by the relatives of students that 24 students were riding in a truck 27 miles to Mong Kung to sit the government’s annual exam. The truck unexpectedly got a flat tire, causing it to tip over hit a mountainside.

Although the incident happened in the late morning, the 17 injured students did not arrive at Loilem Hospital until 8 p.m.

“I have no idea why they took so long”, said Dr. U Zeya.

According to the Shan Herald Agency for News, school teachers and parents of the students, had also joined the trip. Among the 17 injured passengers, all were students except for a truck assistant, a teacher and a parent.

Dr. U Zeya said that Loilem hospital had transferred three of the injured patients to Taunggyi General Hospital on Tuesday. He could not confirm whether the vehicle involved in the crash was official school transportation or just hired during the exam period.

The survivors of the accident could not be reached to comment on this article.

Source:

by Moe Myint

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