Minibus Carrying Chinese Tourists Crashes in Bali — 5 Dead, 8 Injured; Driver Arrested

Minibus Carrying Chinese Tourists Crashes in Bali

DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — A minibus carrying Chinese tourists lost control and crashed on a winding downhill stretch in Padangbulia in Buleleng regency, Bali, on Friday morning, killing five passengers and injuring eight others.

Police said the vehicle was traveling from the island's southern side toward the north when the driver lost control, left the asphalt and veered into a community garden, where it struck a tree. Authorities reported the national road in the Padangbulia area was dry at the time of the crash.

"Due to the driver’s lack of caution when turning and descending, he veered off the asphalt road and into a community garden, causing a traffic accident,"

Buleleng police chief Ida Bagus Widwan Sutadi said in a statement.

Eight injured passengers were treated at two local hospitals. The Indonesian driver, who did not require hospital care, has been arrested and is being questioned as investigators continue to examine the circumstances of the crash.

Officials noted that road accidents are common in Indonesia and often linked to limited safety standards and aging or inadequate infrastructure.