At least 25 killed in Philippines after bus falls off ravine

By Anadolu staff

At least 25 people were killed and several others injured after a passenger bus fell into a ravine in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines, state-run media said on Wednesday.

According to the Philippine News Agency, the bus was bound for the central province of Antique from the Iloilo City on the Panay Island when it fell into a ravine in a mountainous area on Tuesday.

“As for the initial report we received, there were 53 passengers on board the Ceres supposedly headed to the northern part of Antique,” the agency quoted Denise Suropia of the provincial disaster management office in Antique as saying.

Suropia added that rescue teams already arrived at the scene and several injured were taken to a local hospital.

Primrose Zamora, an Antique official for public works and highways, said the bus, according to initial reports, hit a barrier due to "mechanical failure."

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid