Passenger killed, 9 hurt when crane hits minibus

A woman was killed and nine other passengers injured when a minibus was hit by the hanging pendulum hook of a mobile crane emerging from a side street in Ban Bung district of Chon Buri on Wednesday night.

The crash occurred on the Chon Buri-Ban Bung road in tambon Nong Samsark around 8.30pm, said Pol Maj Wutthipong Talam, investigation chief at Ban Bung.

Emergency responders arriving at the scene found an overturned minibus on the road near a parked crane truck with Chon Buri licence plates at the entrance to Soi Pathomphorn. The crane's hook was on the ground at the back of the minibus.

One woman passenger was lying seriously injured in the wreckage of the minibus. Rescue workers performed CPR, but could not save her. She was identified later as Phannipa Phuanghom, 32, of Prachuap Khiri Khan,  The nine other passengers were also injured and were rushed to Ban Bung hospital. 

The minibus driver, identified only as Somboon, told police he was taking his 10 passengers from Bangkok to Trat province. The crane had emerged suddenly from the side street, its boom and pendulum hook projecting out ahead of it. 

One of his passengers, a monk, had shouted a warning, but he was unable to stop in time and the hanging hook crashed into the roof of his vehicle. 

The crane driver, identified only as Thongchai, said he was heading out  onto the main road, intending to return to the company compound in Bang Saen district. 

Police investigators were examining security camera recordings of the crash before laying charges.