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Bus and oil tanker collide in Indonesia, killing at least 16 people

A passenger bus collided head-on with a fuel tanker truck on a highway on Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Wednesday, killing at least 16 people and…

By Samantha Johnson / May 6, 2026

A passenger bus collided head-on with a fuel tanker truck on a highway on Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Wednesday, killing at least 16 people and injuring four others, officials said.

The crash occurred around midday on the Trans-Sumatra Highway in North Musi Rawas regency of South Sumatra province, when an intercity bus carrying at least 20 people struck a tanker truck travelling in the opposite direction, said Mugono, a local disaster management agency official.

Mugono, who uses a single name like many Indonesians, said preliminary findings indicate the bus – which was travelling from South Sumatra’s Lubuklinggau city to Jambi, another city – may have emitted sparks shortly before the collision.

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This may have prompted the driver to steer the vehicle towards the right side of the road in an attempt to avoid a more serious incident. However, an oil tanker truck was approaching at high speed, leaving little time to avoid a direct impact.

“The forceful impact triggered a fire that engulfed both vehicles, leaving many victims trapped inside,” Mugono said.

At least 16 people were killed after a bus collided with a tanker truck on a major highway on Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua
At least 16 people were killed after a bus collided with a tanker truck on a major highway on Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua

The dead include the bus driver and 13 passengers as well as the tanker’s driver and assistant, all of whom burned to death inside the vehicles, Mugono said.

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