Overview
- The head-on crash on Wednesday on the Trans-Sumatra Highway in North Musi Rawas left 16 dead and four injured, officials said.
- Police now say the bus crossed into the opposite lane to avoid a pothole, revising earlier reports of a tyre blowout or sparks from the bus.
- The impact set the bus and diesel tanker on fire and left several victims trapped inside the wreckage.
- Sixteen body bags were taken to Siti Aisyah Hospital for identification, and police said DVI teams have confirmed five victims as the forensic work continues.
- The disaster highlights persistent safety gaps in Indonesia, including pothole-ridden highways, aging vehicles, and uneven enforcement that have figured in recent deadly crashes.