Fatal Crash on Java Motorway
Thirteen people were killed and five injured after a pickup truck carrying wedding guests was crushed between two lorries on a busy motorway in Indonesia's main island of Java. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon, July 12, on the northern coastal motorway near Kiajaran Kulon village in Indramayu regency.
Details of the Incident
The group was returning home after attending a wedding in neighboring Parean village, according to local traffic police chief Undang Syarif Hidayat. The victims were traveling in an open-bed pickup truck when the vehicle slowed and stopped near a gap in the central reservation to make a U-turn on the motorway. It was then struck from behind by a wing-box truck traveling in the same direction.
"The impact pushed the pickup into the opposite lane where it was hit again by another truck," Hidayat said. "The powerful collision hurled more than a dozen people from the pickup truck onto the highway."
Injuries and Investigation
Five survivors remain in hospital with injuries ranging from minor to serious, police said. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
Context of Road Safety in Indonesia
Deadly traffic accidents are common in Indonesia, where overloaded vehicles, inadequate road safety measures, and poor compliance with traffic regulations frequently contribute to fatal crashes. This incident highlights ongoing concerns about road safety in the country.
