Around 8 p.m. on 24/7, a sleeper bus carrying 26 passengers left Nuoc Ngam station, Hanoi, headed for Da Nang. Le Vu Khanh Hoa, 14, along with a group of 9 people, including her mother, aunt, and her mother's friends, were among the early arrivals and chose bunks near the cabin.

Hoa was on the upper level, while her mother, aunt, and the others were on the lower level. Initially, the bus traveled at a moderate speed. About two hours later, the lights dimmed, and Hoa, like most passengers, fell asleep.

Around 2 a.m. on 25/7, the bus stopped for fuel in Ky Trinh ward, former Ky Anh town. Ten minutes after leaving the gas station, Hoa was jolted awake as the bus swerved. She "felt the bus roll three times before landing on its side."

Le Vu Khanh Hoa recounts the incident on the afternoon of 25/7. Photo: Duc Hung

Sleeping passengers were thrown from their bunks as the vehicle rolled. Many fell to the floor, some repeatedly hitting the roof and floor. In the pitch-black bus, panicked screams and cries for help filled the air.

Hoa clung to the side of her bunk, remaining in place, but her body ached, and her head spun. Beside her, two bunks had come loose, pinning a passenger on the upper level.

Some male passengers broke the windows and helped others escape. Hoa was among the first to be rescued. Outside, she saw the bus lying on its left side. Some passengers had been ejected through broken windows and were trapped beneath the vehicle. She frantically searched for her relatives but couldn't find them.

The bus was severely damaged after the accident. Photo: Duc Hung

Anh Thu, from Hanoi, who was in a lower bunk at the back of the bus, said she was thrown almost two meters forward into the bunk in front of her, causing facial bleeding. Around her, many were injured on their arms and faces, unable to get up. They asked each other, "Is there any way out?", but for the first few minutes, there was no escape.

About 5 minutes later, she spotted a gap in a window, about three meters from her, created by people outside using hammers to break the glass. Thu waved and cried for help, and about 15 minutes later, she was pulled out.

Nguyen Phu Y, 37, living just a few dozen meters from the scene, was asleep when his uncle called about the accident. He rushed out to see the 12-meter-long sleeper bus on its side, a man thrown about a meter clear. About 10 meters away, three or four passengers had managed to escape. Many were still trapped inside the overturned bus.

Seeing a couple trapped by a bunk, Y tried to pull them free but couldn't. He instructed the husband to give his wife mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, telling them to breathe deeply and slowly to conserve oxygen while awaiting rescue. A former nurse at the Ky Anh Medical Center, Y called his former superiors and the emergency services. After about 10 minutes, paramedics arrived and began taking the injured to the hospital.

Three tow trucks were brought in to lift the bus and retrieve the bodies trapped underneath. Authorities confirmed 7 fatalities at the scene, two more later at the hospital. Another victim, severely injured, was taken home at the family's request and died there.

By the afternoon of 25/7, the accident site had been cleared. Debris from the bus and passengers' belongings remained scattered along the roadside. Bloodstains and oil marks were visible, and roadside markers were broken. The section of National Highway 1 where the accident occurred was flat and open.

The section of road where the accident occurred. Photo: Duc Hung

According to authorities, the sleeper bus had 24 bunks and two seats. The driver, Ngoc Thanh, 36, from Thanh Hoa province, tested negative for alcohol and drugs. Initial findings and the driver's statement suggest a front tire blowout caused him to lose control, resulting in the bus overturning. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Le Vu Khanh Hoa, from Hanoi, is being treated for leg injuries at Ky Anh Regional General Hospital. Through tears, she said, "The trip turned into a tragedy. Five out of ten members in our group died." Her mother and aunt were among the deceased. Her mother's friend lost three family members, including her husband and daughter.

Duc Hung