A passenger bus driven by Ramazan İnanpolat veered off the road and overturned on snowy terrain near the village of Oluklu in the Selim district of the Kars-Erzurum highway. 23 people on the bus were injured in the accident, prompting the dispatch of a large number of health, search and rescue, fire department, police, and gendarmerie teams to the scene.
The injured passengers were transported to Kars Harakani State Hospital and the Caucasus University Health Research and Application Hospital by ambulances. Kars Governor Ziya Polat visited the injured at the Harakani State Hospital and conveyed his well wishes.
Governor Polat stated that the bus, which had departed from Izmir, lost control and rolled down a slope near the village of Oluklu in the Selim district. He mentioned, “We have 30 passengers on board. Thank God, there are no fatalities. 23 of them have been transferred. According to the latest information we have, there are 15 yellow tags and 8 green tags. This means that we do not have any severely injured individuals. Once again, I wish a speedy recovery to all.” Polat also noted that winter conditions have been present in Kars for the past two days and urged the public to comply with the precautions taken by the teams working tirelessly day and night in the region.
Driver İnanpolat recounted that while continuing on his lane, another vehicle overtook them and suddenly slowed down. Unable to stop on the middle lane, he tried to avoid hitting the vehicle, but the slippery snow caused the bus to veer off the road and into the slope. Snowfall has been intermittent in the area in recent days, contributing to hazardous road conditions.
Governor Polat’s statements emphasized the importance of obeying safety precautions and road rules, especially in winter conditions. He expressed his well wishes to the injured individuals and praised the efforts of the emergency response teams working diligently in response to the accident. The incident serves as a reminder of the need for caution and vigilance while traveling during adverse weather conditions.
