A deadly bus crash in Cambodia has left five people dead and 21 others injured after a vehicle carrying students skidded off a road and plunged into a deep pond on Tuesday morning.

The deadly accident occurred in Kandal province, approximately 40 kilometres north of the capital, Phnom Penh. Provincial police said the driver lost control after a motorcycle suddenly crossed in front of the bus.

Witnesses reported that the bus was travelling at high speed when the driver applied the brakes. The vehicle then skidded off the road and entered the roadside pond.

The bus sank only a short distance from the shore, but the water was deep enough to make rescue efforts difficult. Local residents rushed to help passengers escape from the vehicle.

Some of those rescued received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), according to Sun Kunthy, one of the people who assisted at the scene.

Deadly Crash Leaves 26 Passengers Affected

Police said 26 students between the ages of 12 and 14 were travelling on the bus when the accident happened.

Five girls died by drowning, while three other passengers were left in critical condition. Another 18 suffered minor injuries.

Nov Sokhon, chief traffic police of Khsach Kandal district, said the death toll could have been higher without the quick response from residents who helped rescue passengers.

Police detained the 31-year-old bus driver for questioning as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the deadly crash.

Cambodia Faces Ongoing Road Safety Concerns

The deadly accident has drawn attention to the ongoing problem of road deaths in Cambodia.

A National Police report released in early November showed that more than 1,300 people died in traffic accidents during the first 10 months of the year.

A separate Transport Ministry report recorded 1,467 road deaths in 2025, making traffic accidents the country’s leading cause of accidental deaths.

Road safety concerns have also affected workers travelling to factories. In May, two separate accidents killed at least 14 garment factory workers and injured 79 others.

Many of those workers were travelling on flatbed trucks, a common form of transportation in the country. These vehicles often lack proper seating, forcing passengers to stand and increasing their risk of serious injury during a collision.

The latest deadly bus crash adds to concerns about the dangers faced by people travelling on Cambodia’s roads.