At least 11 people were killed and 27 others injured when a tour bus collided with a truck carrying lumber on a busy highway in Turkey, leaving both vehicles overturned and emergency crews scrambling to rescue survivors.
The deadly crash unfolded around 11 a.m. Sunday, October 11, near the Akhisar toll gates in Manisa province, along a major highway connecting Istanbul and the western coastal city of Izmir.
The bus was carrying 34 passengers and three crew members on a trip from Bursa to thermal springs in Denizli, a popular destination known for its natural hot springs.
Investigators believe the bus driver missed a highway exit and began reversing near a junction when a truck approaching from behind slammed into the vehicle.
Highway surveillance footage reportedly captured the bus backing up shortly before the violent collision.
The impact sent both vehicles overturning, leaving the bus with extensive damage to its rear section and debris scattered across the roadway.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, including firefighters, ambulances, police and disaster response teams. Rescue workers searched the wreckage while paramedics treated injured passengers before transporting them to nearby hospitals.
Turkey’s Health Ministry confirmed that 27 people required hospital treatment. One patient was initially listed in serious condition, while 18 suffered moderate injuries and eight were reported to be in good condition.
By Monday, 13 injured people had been discharged, while another 13 remained hospitalized, according to Turkish state news agency Anadolu.
Among the survivors was 76-year-old Süleyman Eryılmaz, who lost his 75-year-old wife, Mümine, in the crash.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Eryılmaz recalled that the bus had apparently passed the intended exit before beginning to reverse.
He said the vehicle was backing up near the side of the highway when the truck struck it from behind.
The grieving passenger explained that his wife and a friend had been sitting beside him, but he did not see what happened to them during the impact.
Authorities detained three people in connection with the crash: the bus driver, a second driver who also owned the bus, and the truck driver.
According to investigators, the bus driver acknowledged reversing after realizing he had missed the junction. The truck driver reportedly told police he was traveling in his lane when he noticed the bus but could not maneuver away in time.
The three men were referred to judicial authorities Monday as prosecutors continued examining the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Manisa Governor Vahdettin Özkan visited the crash site and expressed condolences to the victims’ families, emphasizing the importance of following traffic regulations.
Turkey’s Interior Ministry also confirmed that emergency personnel from multiple agencies had been deployed to assist victims and secure the highway.
The Akhisar Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has assigned three prosecutors to the case. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage, driver statements and other evidence to determine responsibility for the crash.
The tragedy comes just two months after another deadly transportation accident in southeastern Turkey.
On August 15, seven people were killed and nine others injured when a minibus carrying passengers to an engagement celebration overturned in the Lice district of Diyarbakır province. Authorities reported that a tire failure caused the driver to lose control.
For the families affected by Sunday’s collision, what should have been a relaxing excursion to Turkey’s famous thermal springs instead ended in tragedy.
Officials have not announced criminal charges or released a complete list of victims as the investigation continues.
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