Phuket-
An Austrian man, 77, died on the way to a hospital after his motorcycle collided head-on with a passenger van in Mueng district, Phuket yesterday, August 18, at night.
Officers from Karon Police Station and rescue workers were alerted about the incident around 7:30 PM. A passenger van parking in the left lane was found with major damage on its front while a wrecked motorbike was seen four meters away along with two injured people lying on the road.
The Austrian rider and his passenger, Kannika Surat, 29, were seriously injured and found unconscious. Rescuers rushed them to a nearby hospital but the Austrian man was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. The name of the Austrian man was withheld by The Pattaya News as it was unclear if his embassy and family members had been informed of his death as of the time of publication.
The initial investigation revealed that the frontal crash occurred when the motorcycle driven by the Austrian man strayed into the oncoming lane while attempting to ride around a curve, causing the vehicle to collide directly with the incoming van.
The van driver, Wirat Buapri, 56, who was uninjured and waiting for law enforcement officials at the scene, claimed that the collision was unavoidable.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Channarong Pakrongkeua of Karon Police Station said that the investigators would perform alcohol tests on the body of the Austrian motorcyclist as well as the van driver.
The police told Associated Press: “We had to check to see if the two drivers were involved with drinking alcohol before driving and what eventually caused the fatal incident. We will wait for results before proceeding with any potential legal action.”
The results of the tests were not clear as of this afternoon, August 19th.
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