Lucky passengers survive bus plunge

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PASSENGERS in a coaster bus were lucky to escape serious injury when it ran off a cliff at the Daulo Pass section of the Highlands Highway last week.
David Nupo, a witness, said it was “very fortunate” that none of the passengers were injured or killed.
“The bus fell down the cliff nearly 10m but the impact was not so big,” Nupo said.
The bus was owned and operated by a Western Highlander and used to transport betel nuts from Madang to Mt Hagen.
Nupo said they helped some of the passengers to safety and took them to Goroka Provincial Hospital.
Asaro police highway patrol unit responded to the accident quickly and saved the cargo and passengers and locals living near the accident scene volunteered to take care of the bus. Police in Eastern Highlands had warned betel nut traders not to travel at night on tulait tulait buses.
Betel nuts transported through the tulait tulait buses arrive at their respective locations as early as 6am — at Goroka’s Suave and Kakaruk Buai markets, Kundiawa’s Yuai Buai market, Mt Hagen’s Kalakai and Kaiwe buai markets as well as other parts of the region.