Negligence played role in deadly school bus accident, reports show

Fourteen were killed and 26 others were injured on their way back from a field trip in the southern province of Osmaniye on June 5 after the bus carrying them plunged into a water canal following a crash with another vehicle. 

Reports showed that the midi-bus driven by Feruşah Esen was carrying more passengers than it was designed to transport when the incident occurred. Some 40 people were reportedly on the bus when it fell to the water canal, although its capacity was only 29. 

Making a statement after the accident, the Hatay Governor’s Office also said the excursion of the 5 July Elementary School in Hatay’s İskenderun district was organized without the permission of an administrative chief.

“It was confirmed that the excursion was organized in violation of the Education Ministry (MEB) Social Activities Regulation’s Article 21, as no permission was received from the administrative chief. Legal procedures have begun regarding the issue,” said the statement. 

Osmaniye Gov. Kerem Al also said the trip was not an official school field trip and that students and parents had organized it among themselves.  

The bus had been carrying pupils, as well as a number of their parents and teachers, back from an excursion to the well-known archaeological site of Karatepe outside of Osmaniye to İskenderun when it flipped over into a canal, killing five students, a baby, a teacher, six parents and the driver.  

The driver Esen, as well as Beritan Geyik, Baver Geyik, Nehir Uludağ, Bahadır Karakurt, Meral Sarı, Yağmur Keskin, Umut Ayas, Merve Pembe, Ahmet Cebeci, Sultan Geyik, Sevgi Ayas, Nur Seviner and Müzeyyen Keskin lost their lives in the accident.