At least 16 people were killed when a passenger bus collided with a highway guardrail and overturned on the Semarang tollway in Central Java on Dec. 22. The bus, carrying 34 people from Jakarta to Yogyakarta, struck the divider and rolled onto its side at about 12:30 a.m. Fifteen victims died at the scene and one more later in hospital; 18 people were hospitalized, five in critical condition. Authorities suspect speed may have played a role and are investigating; drivers are being questioned and tested.
At Least 16 Dead After Passenger Bus Strikes Guardrail and Overturns on Semarang Tollway
BASARNAS/HANDOUT/EPA/ShutterstockEmergency responders carrying a victim by the overturned bus in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia, 22 December 2025.
At least 16 people were killed and many others injured after a passenger bus crashed into a highway guardrail and overturned on a toll road in Semarang, Central Java, in the early hours of Monday, Dec. 22.
The incident occurred at about 12:30 a.m. local time when the bus, carrying 34 passengers from Jakarta to Yogyakarta (approximately 360 miles), slammed into a road divider and rolled onto its side, according to Budiono, an official with the national search and rescue agency BASARNAS, and local media reports including The Jakarta Post and Pos Kota.
Xinhua/ShutterstockIndonesia's National Search And Rescue Agency (Basarnas) by the crushed bus in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia, Dec. 22, 2025
“The forceful impact threw several passengers and left them trapped against the bus body,” Budiono told the Associated Press.
Emergency crews at the scene were photographed carrying injured passengers away from the overturned yellow bus as responders worked to free people pinned against the vehicle. Authorities said 15 people were pronounced dead at the scene, and a sixteenth victim later died in hospital. Eighteen survivors were receiving hospital treatment; five were listed in critical condition and 13 had serious injuries.
Investigation Underway
Central Java Police Chief Ribut Hari Wibowo said investigators were still probing the circumstances of the crash and had questioned an injured substitute driver. The primary driver suffered serious injuries but remained able to communicate; authorities said he will be tested for illegal drugs as part of the investigation. Officials have described speeding as a possible factor but have not released a final determination on the cause.
BASARNAS/HANDOUT/EPA/ShutterstockThe scene of the bus crash in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia, December 22, 2025
Rescue teams and police continued work at the scene to assist survivors and to inspect the vehicle. Local and national agencies, including police and BASARNAS, are coordinating the inquiry and medical response. PEOPLE has contacted the Indonesian National Police and the National Search and Rescue Agency for comment.
The community and families of victims are awaiting further updates as authorities complete their investigation and hospital staff continue treating the injured.
