At least 11 people were killed and dozens more injured Sunday when a tour bus collided with a truck on a busy highway in western Turkey, leaving both vehicles overturned and investigators examining disturbing footage of the crash.
The deadly collision occurred October 11 near the Akhisar toll gates in Manisa province, along the Gebze-Orhangazi-Izmir highway. The bus was carrying 34 passengers and three crew members on a trip from Bursa toward Izmir, with the popular tourist destination of Pamukkale reportedly among its planned stops.
Authorities received the first emergency report shortly after 11 a.m. local time. Firefighters, police officers and medical teams rushed to the scene, where the tour bus had sustained extensive damage and both vehicles had overturned near the highway barriers.
Eleven people were pronounced dead, while dozens of injured passengers were transported to nearby hospitals. Initial reports listed 27 injured, although prosecutors later said 26 people had been hospitalized.
Turkish authorities subsequently identified the 11 victims, whose ages ranged from 58 to 88. Several elderly passengers were among those killed.
Investigators are now examining whether a dangerous maneuver moments before the collision contributed to the tragedy.
According to Turkish news agency DHA, highway surveillance footage showed the tour bus apparently reversing after missing an exit near the Akhisar toll gates. A truck carrying lumber then struck the bus from behind, sending both vehicles overturning.
The footage has become a central focus of the investigation, although prosecutors have not announced a final determination of responsibility.
The Akhisar Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that three prosecutors were assigned to investigate the crash. Three drivers were detained, including the tour bus driver, a second bus driver and the truck driver.
Authorities have not announced formal charges.
Manisa Governor Vahdettin Ozkan visited the crash site as emergency crews worked to remove the wreckage and assist survivors.
Ozkan emphasized the importance of obeying highway safety regulations, warning that the tragedy demonstrated how quickly dangerous traffic situations can turn deadly.
Turkey’s Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci also expressed condolences to the victims’ families and confirmed that emergency personnel from multiple agencies had been deployed to assist with the response.
The devastating crash comes less than two months after another deadly transportation accident in southeastern Turkey.
On August 15, a minibus carrying passengers to an engagement celebration overturned in the Lice district of Diyarbakir province after reportedly suffering a tire failure. Seven people died, including two children, and nine others were injured.
Sunday’s collision has renewed attention on highway safety in Turkey, particularly involving large passenger vehicles traveling between major cities and popular tourist destinations.
Investigators are expected to examine the surveillance footage, vehicle movements and driver actions to establish exactly what caused the collision.
For the families of the 11 victims, what began as a routine group trip ended in a devastating tragedy.
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