The scene of the accident. [Yonhap]
The scene of the accident. [Yonhap]

Two tour buses carrying middle school students on a field trip collided on the Gyeongbu Expressway in Gyeonggi Province on Friday.

According to fire department officials and other authorities, the two buses rear-ended each other near Geumgok Bridge on the Seoul-bound lanes of the Gyeongbu Expressway in Seongnam at around 9:42 a.m. Friday.

The collision occurred in the first lane when the trailing bus struck the one ahead of it.

Five students and one teacher sustained minor injuries and were taken to a hospital.

The two buses were carrying 34 and 31 people, respectively, including their drivers.

The passengers belonged to two different middle schools in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, and were on their way to their field trip destinations.

Students who were uninjured boarded replacement buses and left the scene.

Police believe the trailing bus failed to maintain a sufficient following distance in a congested section of the road and are investigating the exact circumstances of the accident.


jshan@heraldcorp.com