Eleven people died while five were injured after a pick-up and a bus collided in Cagayan past midnight Thursday, police said.

In an interview with dzBB, Abulug Police Station chief Major Antonio Palattao said the vehicular accident occurred at 12 am when a Toyota Hilux SUV pickup from Apayao heading to Ayaga Junction crashed into a Florida Bus, which came from Flora, Apayao and was headed to Sta. Ana, Cagayan.

“The bus hit the pick-up truck on the driver’s side,” Palattao said.

“In the video footage that we watched, we saw that the pick-up truck went straight ahead. Instead of turning right to go to Tuguegarao, it went straight and exited through the main highway. At that moment, the bus was passing. It happened at the intersection,'' he said.

According to Palattao, the fatalities of the pick-up truck were from one family.

“The 11 dead, who were dead on arrival, were passengers of the pick-up... there were passengers at the back because this pick-up came from the funeral of their relative,'’ Palattao said.

Palatao said the pick-up had 13 passengers while the bus had 23 passengers.

He added that the driver of the pickup and two female passengers who were seated in front had sustained injuries.

Palatao said that the bus driver and conductor were confined in the hospital.

He noted that the passengers of the bus obtained minor injuries but were in stable condition and had gone home.

In a separate interview with Teleradyo, Palattao said the driver of the bus will be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property. Jaspearl Tan/DMS