A bus carrying 26 elementary school students rolled down a hill without a driver and struck a pedestrian in her 70s in Gwangju, South Korea.
According to the Gwangju Fire Department, the incident occurred around 8:46 a.m. near a bus stop in the Bongseon-dong area. The yellow field trip bus slowly slid approximately 10 meters down an inclined road, colliding with the woman, identified as A, who was injured and transported to a hospital.
Fortunately, none of the students on board were injured.
Students from a nearby elementary school were scheduled to visit a field trip facility at another school in the Dong-gu district using two field trip buses.
Reports indicate that the bus driver exited the vehicle to ask the driver of another bus parked behind to move forward. During this time, the driver left the driver's seat without engaging the brake, according to police.
CCTV footage captured the yellow bus rolling down the slope while the driver, a man in his 70s, hurriedly attempted to board through the open door but fell. Witnesses, including school staff, rushed toward the bus, but the distance between them and the accelerating vehicle widened.
Fortunately, the bus was moving slowly, allowing bystanders to scatter, but A was unable to avoid it. The bus eventually came to a stop after hitting a bus information sign and a ginkgo tree.
This incident occurred in a busy area near a large supermarket and a community center, raising concerns about the potential for a major disaster.
Some students on the bus were reportedly shaken and returned home early after the incident.
Police have charged the bus driver under traffic accident laws and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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