MANILA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A small truck transporting schoolchildren, their parents and teachers fell off a ravine in Cebu province in the central Philippines on Friday, killing nine, including eight school children, police said.
Earlier reports said that 11 pupils were killed and 20 others were injured in the accident.
Staff Sergeant Nelson Saquibal of the Boljoon Police Station said the pupils from two elementary schools in the town of Blojoon in southern Cebu were traveling to a district athletic event when the accident happened around 7:40 a.m.
Saquibal said three girls and five boys aged between 11 and 12, and a 40-year-old mother died at the scene. Seventeen others were injured but the driver was not hurt, he added.
In a statement, the Department of Education (DepEd) said "a total of 39 learners from the elementary schools, together with two parents and two teachers, were on their way to a district athletic meet on board a mini dump truck which suddenly lost its breaks and fell into a ravine."
"DepEd extends its sincerest condolences to the bereaved families of eight learners who died in a road accident today in Boljoon, Cebu," the statement read.
It is a usual practice in the Philippines to use dump truck to transport people, especially in the provinces. Improvised benches are usually put for the people to sit on while others stand throughout the trip.
Initial investigation showed that the brake of the truck failed while it was descending a mountain road near Boljoon town when the tragedy happened.
