Five students from BELTEI International School were killed and two others injured after a privately hired vehicle carrying 26 students overturned into a pond in Kandal province this morning.

Ly Bunchhay, Deputy Director-General of BELTEI Group, confirmed that 26 students were travelling in the vehicle when the accident occurred.

The school did not own or operate the vehicle. The students’ parents hired it to transport their children to BELTEI’s Prek Tameak commune branch in Khsach Kandal district.

According to initial reports, the driver swerved to avoid a motorcycle, causing the vehicle to overturn and plunge into a pond.

Residents and authorities rushed to rescue the students. However, five children died after becoming trapped, while others were safe, with two injured who were taken to hospital for emergency treatment.

Authorities arrested the driver following the accident. The bodies of the deceased students were handed over to their families for a traditional funeral. Fresh News