Five Cambodian Schoolgirls Die After Bus Plunges Into Pond

On November 10, a bus taking students to school left the road and sank in a deep pond in Kandal province, about 40 kilometers north of Phnom Penh. Five girls died by drowning, police said. The students on board were aged 12 to 14.

Police said witnesses saw a motorcycle cross in front of the moving bus. The driver braked sharply, and the bus skidded into the roadside pond. It sank a short distance from shore, but the water was deep enough to make it difficult for the students to escape.

Villagers rushed to rescue the children, and some performed CPR on those pulled from the bus, said Sun Kunthy, who helped. Three students were in critical condition and 18 had minor injuries. Officers questioned the 31-year-old driver in custody.

Khsach Kandal district traffic police chief Nov Sokhon said local residents’ quick response may have prevented more deaths. National Police figures released in early November showed more than 1,300 people had died in Cambodian traffic accidents during the first 10 months of 2026. The Transport Ministry recorded 1,467 traffic deaths in 2025.