Sixteen Dead in Fatal Collision Between ALS Bus and Tanker in South Sumatra

RRI.CO.ID, Palembang - A devastating midday collision on the Trans-Sumatra Highway has left 16 people dead after a passenger bus and a fuel tanker collided head-on in the Karang Jaya Subdistrict, Musi Rawas Utara (Muratara) Regency. The tragedy, which occurred on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, triggered an emergency response from the Muratara Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) to recover victims from the wreckage.

The Head of Preparedness at BPBD Muratara, Mugono, confirmed that the fatalities include 14 passengers from the Antar Lintas Sumatera (ALS) bus, as well as the driver and assistant of the tanker truck. The impact was reportedly so severe that both vehicles sustained catastrophic damage, trapping several victims within the twisted metal of the cabins.

"Our team is currently on the ground working with the Police for the evacuation process. Preliminary reports indicate that 16 victims have been identified as deceased at the scene," said Mugono, as quoted by Antara.

The sequence of events began around 12:39 p.m. Jakarta time as the ALS bus was traveling from Lubuk Linggau toward Medan or Pekanbaru.

According to initial field data gathered by the BPBD, sparks were seen emanating from the bus while it was in motion. In a desperate attempt to mitigate the fire risk, the bus driver reportedly steered the vehicle toward the right side of the road. However, a tanker truck traveling at high speed from the opposite direction struck the bus in a violent frontal impact.

While the majority of those involved did not survive, emergency responders managed to rescue a small number of passengers from the inferno. "A total of 16 are dead, there are four survivors, three of whom have suffered serious burns and one with minor injuries," Mugono added.

Search and rescue personnel are currently focusing on extracting the remaining bodies from the wreckage and ensuring the survivors receive immediate medical attention. Meanwhile, BPBD Muratara and local Police units are working to sterilize the crash site and conduct a formal investigation to verify the identities of all victims involved in the disaster. ***