Prosecutors in the north-central province of Ha Tinh have pressed charges against a bus driver for traffic law violations leading to the death of 20 passengers in a tragic accident last October.

 

Tran Van Truong, 36, of Nam Dinh Province, is charged with “violating regulations for road drivers causing serious consequences."

 

According to the province’s Nghi Xuan District Prosecutors’ Office, Truong could be punished with between seven and 15 years in jail if the court finds him guilty.

 

The accident happened on October 18 last year when the bus was on the way to Nam Dinh from Dak Nong Province with 38 people on board.

 

At around 4 a.m., the bus broke down near the Rong Bridge in Ha Tinh’s Nghi Xuan District in heavy rain; and strong flood waters swept the vehicle into the La River.

 

Eighteen people smashed the bus windows and swam to safety, and others drowned.

 

Ha Tinh traffic police said that several minutes before the accident, the bus had sped past a check point in Hong Linh Town.

 

The check point was set up to stop vehicles from going through the flooded section of the National Highway No.1.

 

Police said that Dinh Van Luong was the main driver, but as he was sick that day, his subordinate Truong took over the wheel. Luong died in the accident, while Truong managed to get out of the bus along with 17 other passengers.

 

After the accident, Truong compensated each bereaved family with VND50 million (US$2,415) each, local reports said.