Accident kills 13 people: Sorrowful day of sorrow in Quang Tri

Located next to National Highway 1A, the small concrete road leading to Luong Dien village this morning was packed with people standing on both sides of the road.

10am, the first body carrier arrived home

"Receiving the bad news that a group of villagers on their way to Binh Dinh to marry Nguyen Khac Long's wife had an accident, many people died, the whole village was heartbroken with grief," a villager said with sobs.

People in Luong Dien village said Long's family is in quite poor circumstances. 10 years ago, his father died in an accident and his mother worked as a farmer to raise 4 children.

Luong Dien villagers painfully received the bad news.

“Long is the youngest child in the family. When he started working in Binh Duong, he fell in love and decided to marry Ms. L. (living in Binh Dinh). The family's plan was to go to Binh Dinh on the evening of July 29 to have the dowry ceremony at the bride's house early this morning, and then have the wedding ceremony at the groom's house on August 2, but the accident took everything away,” said Mr. Nguyen Ton Phuc, a relative, sadly.

Relatives cried next to the bodies of Mr. Nguyen and his wife.

At 10am this morning, when the first vehicle carrying the victims' bodies arrived at the village, hundreds of people stood surrounding the narrow concrete road.

"The incident happened so suddenly and heartbreakingly, the whole village now doesn't know which house to go to or leave because every time they go out they see tragedy, the neighborhood is shrouded in mourning," a resident said in tears.

Choking before the great funeral

Many people could not contain their pain when they were present at the house of victim Ngo Thi Be (born 1960, mother of groom Nguyen Khac Long).

Chairman of Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chinh (left cover) offers incense and condolences.

Thu's mother cried and called her child's name in despair.

The tragic accident early this morning killed 4 members of Mrs. Be’s family. Besides Mrs. Be, Long, Long’s sister, there was also Mrs. Be’s grandson who was only 7 years old this year.

In the small, narrow house at the end of Luong Dien village, the heartbreaking cries of the victims' relatives echoed.

The groom's brother choked up next to the bodies of his mother, younger brother, older sister and nephew.

About 150 meters from the groom's house, the cries and wails calling out the names of the victim Nguyen Khac Nguyen's (born 1964) children also tore apart the peace of a poor village.

Victims Nguyen Khac Nguyen and his wife Nguyen Thi Gai (born 1964) were two of the victims. The fateful bus trip from Quang Tri to Binh Dinh resulted in the death of the couple, leaving behind three young children and many unfinished plans.

Luong Dien villagers choked up at the great funeral

“Thinking about Long’s family’s difficult circumstances, his father died early, so when they heard that he was getting married, his wife and he (Mr. Nguyen and Mrs. Gai – PV) were very excited and wanted to personally go and ask for a wife for him. Who would have thought that the joy would be short-lived, the whole village would have to face such great misfortune,” a relative present at Mr. Nguyen’s house choked up.

Each villager lent a hand to help the groom's family prepare for the funeral.

Present at Luong Dien village, Mr. Nguyen Duc Chinh - Chairman of Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee said that, in the immediate future, the province will allocate the budget to support each deceased victim with 5 million VND, and each injured victim with 3 million VND.

“This is a great pain and loss not only for the victims' relatives and Hai Lang commune, but also for the people of Quang Tri,” said Mr. Chinh.

At around 2:30 this morning, in Uat Luy village, Dien Minh commune, Dien Ban town (Quang Nam), a serious traffic accident occurred, killing 13 people.

A passenger bus carrying 17 people from Quang Tri to Binh Dinh for an engagement suddenly collided with a container truck going in the opposite direction, killing 13 people on the bus.