A tourist bus and a truck collided near the Akhisar toll plaza on the Gebze-Orhangazi-Izmir motorway in Turkey's Manisa province on Sunday, killing 11 people and injuring 27, according to Anadolu Ajansı.
The Manisa Governor's Office said the collision was reported at 11:11 a.m. local time close to the Akhisar motorway entrance, involving a tour bus heading from Bursa toward Izmir and a truck. Emergency responders, including ambulances, fire crews and police, were dispatched to the scene after reports of casualties.
In a statement, the governor's office said medical and rescue teams were sent to the site and that efforts to save those affected began immediately. It confirmed that 11 people died and 27 were injured, and that the wounded were transported to hospitals.
Why it matters
The crash is one of the deadliest road accidents in Turkey this year and has drawn responses from the country's top leadership. It also raises questions about heavy vehicle traffic and safety on the Gebze-Orhangazi-Izmir motorway, a major route linking the Istanbul region with the Aegean coast.
Governor Vahdettin Özkan traveled to the scene after the collision to inspect the area and receive briefings from officials. Speaking to journalists nearby, he described the incident as a major accident and offered his condolences to the families of those who died.
Özkan said the bus was carrying 34 passengers, along with three crew members and the truck driver. He put the toll at 11 dead and 27 injured, and said the wounded were transferred to hospitals with triage classifications: 16 yellow-coded, nine green-coded and one red-coded.
The governor said AFAD, firefighting, health and gendarmerie teams reached the site quickly and worked in coordination. He added that crime scene work was continuing under the coordination of the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and he stressed what he called the vital importance of strictly following traffic rules.
Driver treated; bus departure footage emerges
The driver of the tour bus was treated at a private hospital in Akhisar, and that treatment has been completed, according to Anadolu Ajansı.
Security camera footage from a business in the Osmangazi district of Bursa, recorded before the crash, showed the bus picking up passengers at around 6:30 a.m. The footage also showed the bus driver arriving at the premises and shaking hands with workers.
The bus had set out from Bursa before the collision occurred at the Akhisar toll plaza area of the motorway.
Officials give differing initial injury counts
Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu said in a social media post that 27 injured people were receiving treatment in hospitals. He said one patient was in serious condition, 18 were in moderate condition and eight were in good health. He confirmed the death toll of 11 and extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wishes for a quick recovery to the injured.
Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said in a separate statement that, according to initial findings, 11 people had died and 26 were injured. He said AFAD, police, gendarmerie, fire and 112 emergency health teams were sent to the scene promptly and began response work, and that all relevant institutions were closely monitoring the process. His statement did not account for the discrepancy with the figure of 27 injured given by the governor's office and the health minister.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said the Akhisar Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had opened a judicial investigation into the crash, carried out by three public prosecutors. He offered condolences to the families of those who died and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Condolences from across Turkey's leadership
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş posted a message on social media expressing condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wishing the injured a quick recovery. He asked for patience for the families and the nation.
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz also issued a message wishing mercy for those who died and healing for the wounded, and expressing patience and condolences to their families and relatives.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran shared a post on NSosyal, and AK Party Deputy Chairman and Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik wrote on his NSosyal account that he wished mercy for those who died, condolences to their families and a fast recovery to the injured.
The statements from the country's senior officials came within hours of the collision, reflecting the scale of the incident and the attention it has drawn at the national level.
What to watch
The judicial investigation led by the Akhisar Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is ongoing, and authorities have not yet publicly assigned responsibility for the collision. Further details on the cause, the condition of the injured and the identities of the victims are expected as the inquiry and hospital treatment continue.
