The head-on collision between a bus and a truck in Hokkaido that killed five people on Sunday may have been caused by the 4-ton truck straying into oncoming traffic in the opposite lane, police said Monday.
Following the crash at around 11:55 a.m. on a slow curve on Route 5 in Yakumo in southern Hokkaido, the drivers of both vehicles were confirmed dead, along with three on board the bus. Twelve other passengers were taken to the hospital, with one believed to be seriously injured.
The bus left Sapporo earlier in the morning, heading southward to Hakodate with 15 passengers on board at the time of the accident, according to the bus operator, Hokuto Kotsu.