Semarang. At least 16 people were killed after a bus carrying 33 passengers lost control while descending a steep section of a toll road in the Semarang area of Central Java early on Monday.

Transportation authorities said the Cahaya Trans bus involved in the fatal crash had failed a roadworthiness inspection earlier this month. The vehicle was traveling at high speed downhill before slamming into a concrete road barrier. The driver and the bus attendant survived the crash.

Director General of Land Transportation Aan Suhanan said checks in the national transport database showed the vehicle was not registered as either a tourist bus or an interprovincial passenger service.

“After verification through the land transportation application, the vehicle was not listed as a licensed passenger or tourism transport unit,” Aan said in an official statement.

The bus, bearing Jakarta-registered license plates B 7201 IV, was en route from Bekasi to Yogyakarta when the accident occurred. Government records show the vehicle last underwent a periodic inspection on July 3, 2025. During a ramp check on December 9, the bus was declared unfit for operation and barred from service. Despite the ban, it continued to transport passengers.

Police said the crash was likely caused by a combination of unsafe vehicle conditions, the driver’s lack of concentration, and unfamiliarity with the steep downhill terrain.

The National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) has dispatched a team to investigate the incident.

Aan urged bus operators to ensure only vehicles meeting technical and administrative standards are deployed, stressing the importance of driver health checks, backup drivers, and route familiarity to reduce accident risks.

The bodies of the victims were taken to Kariadi General Hospital in Semarang for identification, pending the arrival of family members.

Fatalities
Sadimin (57), Klaten; Srihono (53), Klaten; Listiana (44), Klaten; Sugimo (62), Boyolali; Haryadin (43), East Jakarta; Mutiara (19), Sleman; Saguh (62), Bogor; Wahyu (26), Boyolali; Ngatiyem (48), Boyolali; Erna (53), Bogor; Yanto (47), Klaten; Anis (36), Boyolali; Noviani (31), Bogor; Anih (56), Bogor; Dwi (47), South Tangerang; Endah (48), Sleman.

Injured
Seventeen passengers sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate, including Gilang (22), Robi Sugianto (51), Purwoko (50), Marno (30), Sutiadi Sarwono (67), Nyi Mas Jihan (26), Ardi Nata (29), Rujiyanti (54), Prisma Andika (32), Rafi Abdurrahman (19), Parwono (57), Purnomo (29), Hafis (19), Karnoto (31), and three others, including a two-year-old child.