CAVITE – Nine persons were hurt after a mini bus fell into a fish pond in Noveleta here on Monday, July 17.

The injured, all passengers of the mini bus, sustained minor bruises and scratches from the impact, Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office assistant Jephry Olaes told the Manila Bullletin.

Photo courtesy of Allan Faustino Bella (MANILA BULLETIN)

Another passenger, a minor, survived unscathed. The child, along with the nine injured passengers, were immediately brought to the hospital for medical check-up and treatment.

Olaes said the driver lost control of the public utility vehicle due to a problem with its steering column, causing the mini bus to ram through the road’s steel barrier and fall into the fish pond.

Photo courtesy of Allan Faustino Bella (MANILA BULLETIN)

Cavite Police Provincial Office identified the driver as Eric A. Tampos.

“'Yun pong passengers, mga biktima, hindi na wiling mag-complain (The passengers, the victims, were not willing to file a complaint),” Noveleta Municipal Police Station Chief Maj. Rene Dale G. Cairel told the Manila Bulletin.

“For different reasons. Natulungan naman sila, napunta naman sila sa ospital, nabigyan naman sila nang konting cash. Settled na (They were assisted, they were brought to the hospital, they were given a little cash. It was settled).”

Cairel said the passengers were assisted by the bus operator and received financial assistance from the local government unit.