South Korean police say 12 dead after bus plummets off elevated road on way to airport

12 dead as bus plunges off elevated road in SKorea

SEOUL, South Korea — A bus plunged off an elevated road as it headed to South Korea’s main airport, killing 12 passengers and injuring another dozen people.

The bus struck a guardrail as it tried to avoid a broken-down car and plummeted about 30 feet (10 meters) down from the road Saturday in Incheon, west of Seoul, police official Kang Bong-soo said.

A Korean-American man was among the dead. An official at Inha University Hospital in Incheon identified him as Kyu Bum Ye, citing his U.S. credit card. No further details were given. The official asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to media.

The injured were being treated in nearby hospitals, and some were in serious condition.

The bus was carrying 23 passengers and the driver, Kang said. The injured included a 52-year-old American man, a 23-year-old Mongolian woman and two children aged 5 and 7.

The bridge, which opened last year, links Incheon and nearby Yeongjong Island - home to Incheon International Airport.