BÌNH THUẬN — The People’s Committee of southern Bình Thuận Province has confirmed the cause of a traffic accident which killed 13 and injured 39 people on National Highway 1 session through the province early this week.

The committee announced the results of an investigation into the accident on Friday.

The accident occurred at about 4pm on May 22 when Trần Công Định, driver of a Sơn Quy coach tried to pass a truck moving in the same direction.

After passing through the head of the truck, the coach crashed head-on into a sleeper bus numbered of the Phương Trang transport company driving in the opposite direction.

The sleeper bus was traveling from Quảng Ngãi to HCM City.

The collision was so strong that it caused the two vehicles turn across the highway.

Phương Trang sleeper bus immediately went up in flames then the fire spread to the other two vehicles.

The provincial authority reported that Hàm Thuận District Police was co-operating with Unit C54 of Ministry of Public Security and others provincial security agencies including PC44, PC45, PC54 to strengthen their materials and work with vehicle owners to define civil liability and responsibility for the incident.

The identities of all 13 killed in the accident were confirmed early this week through DNA testing.

Director of the provincial Transport Department Phạm Văn Nam said the bodies had been transferred to the respective families to manage the funeral arrangements after DNA samples were taken.

Bảo Việt Insurance Company processed the victims’ insurance claims as the Phương Trang compay had bought insurance for the vehicle owner at Bảo Việt Sài Gòn Insurance – a subsidiary of Bảo Việt Insurance Company -- at a rate of VNĐ70 million (US$3,100) per passenger and VNĐ10 million ($448) per driver and conductor. — VNS