A man was killed and two others injured when their truck loaded with provisions and donated items for Laotians affected by floodwaters plunged into a river in Savannakhet province on Sunday.
The accident site was about 80 kilometres from Attapeu province, which was inundated last Monday after the collapse of a rock-filled saddle section of the Xe Pien-Xe Namnoy dam, releasing tonnes of water onto six nearby villages.
Rescue workers who rushed to the accident scene found debris from the truck about 50 metres below a road bridge.
They had to use ropes to abseil from the bridge to the truck below.
The injured passengers were raised from the truck by stretchers. They told rescuers that they were Laotians and had left Pakse in Champasak province to deliver things donated by Thai and foreign authorities to those affected by inundation in Attapeu when the accident happened.
One of them said the truck was taking a turn when its brakes appeared to malfunction. The vehicle then skidded off the road, hit the bridge’s rail and plunged into the river.
