A minibus carrying seasonal agricultural workers under the management of Ş.A. veered off the road and overturned into a ravine at Harmankaya location in the Cumayeri district. Health, gendarmerie, fire brigade, and Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) teams were dispatched to the scene upon notification of the incident.
A total of 24 people, including children, were injured in the accident. After receiving initial medical treatment from the health personnel, they were taken to the hospital. The injured were transported to Atatürk State Hospital and Düzce University Faculty of Medicine Training, Research, and Application Hospital. It was reported that three of them were still in critical condition, eight were discharged, and the rest were undergoing treatment.
As investigations proceeded, it was revealed that the minibus had veered off the road due to brake failure. Cumayeri District Governor Taha Furkan Sönmezel and Mayor Mustafa Koloğlu visited the scene and received information from the authorities. Koloğlu stated that, according to the driver, the minibus had fallen off the ravine from approximately 50 meters after the brakes failed. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported in the accident, and Koloğlu expressed his condolences.
It was reported that the seasonal agricultural workers were returning home after completing hazelnut harvesting duties in the Kocaali district of Sakarya. The local authorities extended their sympathies to the victims and their families, emphasizing the importance of road safety and the need for precautions to prevent similar accidents in the future. Further investigations will be carried out to determine the exact cause of the brake failure and ensure such incidents do not reoccur.
