Passenger van accident kills 13 in central China

Published
In this file photo, rescue officials inspect the ste of an accident in China. — Reuters/File
In this file photo, rescue officials inspect the ste of an accident in China. — Reuters/File

An overloaded minivan collided with a truck in central China on Thursday, killing 13 people and injuring three, traffic police said.

The van, which had a maximum capacity of nine passengers but was carrying 16, hit the rear of the truck while on an expressway in Henan province at 2:40 am (1840 GMT), the traffic management bureau of China’s Ministry of Public Security said on social media.

It was driving on the G40 expressway in the city of Nanyang when it “rear-ended a semi-trailer truck travelling ahead of it”, the bureau said on the Weibo social media platform.

The ministry said it “attached great importance” to the incident, “immediately dispatching a working group to Nanyang led by a traffic management bureau official to direct investigation and handling work”.

Deadly traffic accidents occur frequently in China due to lax safety standards and widespread disorderly driving.

Opinion

Editorial

Barren reforms
17 Jul, 2026

Barren reforms

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s assertion that agriculture and livestock hold the key to Pakistan’s quick...
Dumbing down?
17 Jul, 2026

Dumbing down?

THE awesome power of generative AI has raised concerns in academic and scientific circles about the impact the...
Eyeing the Margallas
17 Jul, 2026

Eyeing the Margallas

AS Pakistan battles a variety of climate crises, state institutions must do all possible to defend critical...
AJK violence
Updated 16 Jul, 2026

AJK violence

Violent confrontations have claimed some 30 lives of both security personnel and protesters since last month.
Deadly lapses
16 Jul, 2026

Deadly lapses

PAKISTAN has investigated too many HIV outbreaks over the past decade to still be surprised by the causes. The ...
Doomed tax initiative
16 Jul, 2026

Doomed tax initiative

THE FBR’s draft simplified tax regime for small shopkeepers is the latest in a long line of attempts to persuade...