16 Killed in Cambodia Bus Crash Off Bridge

Sixteen people were killed and at least two dozen others injured when a passenger bus plunged off a bridge into a river in central Cambodia early Thursday, authorities reported.

The bus, carrying around 40 Cambodian nationals, was en route from Siem Reap, site of the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex, to the capital Phnom Penh when the accident occurred in Kampong Thom province. Deputy police chief Siv Sovanna stated that the vehicle departed Siem Reap late Wednesday night for the roughly five-and-a-half-hour journey. Rescuers completed their search of the wreckage late Thursday, raising the confirmed death toll from an initial 13 to 16, according to police updates.

A preliminary investigation points to driver drowsiness as the likely cause, Sovanna told reporters. The predawn crash happened as the bus traversed a bridge over the river, sending the vehicle into the water below. Authorities have not disclosed whether the driver was among the fatalities. The injured were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment, while the bodies of those killed were held at a local facility pending collection by relatives.

Sovanna noted that search teams worked through the day to ensure no...