Breaking news... Bus and truck drivers were arrested in the disaster in which 11 people died in Manisa

The accident occurred yesterday at around 11:00 at the Akhisar Toll booths location of the Gebze-Orhangazi-İzmir Highway. Mehmet Ahular, the driver of the 16 AED 124 plate tour bus, which set out to take the passengers from Bursa to the hot springs in Denizli, stopped and made a reverse maneuver when he missed the turn to exit Akhisar toll booths. Meanwhile, the truck loaded with lumber and plate number 78 YE 166, driven by Hasan Karakaya, crashed into the bus. In the accident in which both vehicles overturned onto the median, 11 people died and 26 people were injured. Upon notice, many medical and rescue teams were dispatched to the scene of the accident. The injured were taken to hospital by ambulance and received treatment. The bodies of the dead were taken to the morgue.

ACCIDENT ON CAMERA

Meanwhile, security camera footage of the accident has emerged. The footage showed the moment when the driver of the bus, which had missed the turn, made a reversing maneuver, while the truck coming from behind hit the bus and two vehicles overturned.

3 DRIVERS CAUGHT IN CUSTODY

Within the scope of the investigation launched after the accident, the tour bus driver Mehmet Ahular, substitute driver Metin Yavuz and TIR driver Hasan Karakaya were detained. The statements of 3 names to the gendarmerie were revealed.

FUNERALS WERE BURIED

After the autopsy, the bodies of the deceased were handed over to their families. The bodies of 10 people were buried in Bursa today, while 1 person was taken to Konya.

'I MISSED THE INTERSECTION'

Bus driver Mehmet Ahular said, "I took over the bus in Susurluk. I was going at 85 kilometers per hour. I was going to exit the highway at Akhisar Junction, but I missed the intersection. I stopped in the safety lane. As I was about to come back and enter the intersection, a vehicle crashed into me from behind. We rolled over towards the barriers. I was rescued by the fire crews who broke the windshield. I was slightly injured because my seat belt was on. I have a complaint against the driver of the vehicle that hit me from behind."

'WE TURNED DOWN DUE TO THE EFFECT OF THE CRASH'

Metin Yavuz, the spare driver of the bus, said, "I was sitting in the back of the bus. We picked up the passengers from various districts of Bursa and were going to the hostel in Denizli. I drove until Susurluk and took a break there. I handed over the bus around 09.30. We were going to exit from Akhisar Junction. I was sitting in the backseat. I do not know which lane Mehmet was driving. At that moment, when he missed the intersection, the passengers started shouting. When the bus slowed down." "After waiting for 3 minutes, a vehicle hit us from behind while we were in the safety lane. I didn't know that our bus was going backwards. We rolled over due to the impact. Someone took me out and I was brought to the hospital by ambulance," he said.

'I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT THE GUILTY BUS DRIVERS'

Truck driver Hasan Karakaya said in his statement: "There was 24 tons of timber in the trailer. I do not have a camera in the vehicle and I do not drink alcohol. I took the necessary rests on the road. I was driving at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour and I was in the rightmost lane. When I turned the bend, I suddenly saw the bus. Since I was carrying a load, I maneuvered slowly to the left and turned the steering wheel to the left. I did not notice that the bus stopped at that moment. I was stuck, the fire brigade rescued me. Here, at the hospital." "My neck is broken, I am injured and I am a victim. I am complaining about the guilty bus drivers," he said.

EXPERT FOUND THE BUS DRIVER AND THE TRUCK DRIVER TO BE DEFECTIVE

An expert report regarding the accident was also prepared. In the report, bus driver Mehmet Ahular was found at fault for reversing as determined by the regulations and for not complying with the general conditions regulating maneuvers, and TIR driver Hasan Karakaya was found at fault for violating the speed limits.

ARREST OF TWO DRIVERS

Among the three people who were referred to Akhisar Courthouse after their procedures at the gendarmerie, bus driver Mehmet Ahular and truck driver Hasan Karakaya were arrested by the court. Metin Yavuz, the substitute driver of the bus, was released on condition of judicial control.