He was going to say goodbye, but never made it: Man dies in tragic accident on the way to wake in Tublay, Benguet

Tublay, Benguet – A van that fell into a ravine in Barangay Tuel, Tublay, Benguet, on April 28 was carrying a group of relatives heading to Sablan to attend a wake, police reported.

According to initial reports from authorities, the Mitsubishi Delica van plunged into a 200-meter ravine along a downhill curve in Lower Salabao, Tuel.

There were reportedly eight occupants in the vehicle, including the driver.

Based on a report from the Barangay Local Government Unit posted on its official Facebook page, the victims included five males and three females.

The occupants were later identified as relatives from Barangay Ansagan, Tuba, who were on their way to Barangay Bagong, Sablan, to pay their last respects to a deceased loved one when the tragic accident occurred between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m.

Emergency responders rushed the victims to nearby hospitals, but one of them—a 46-year-old man—was declared dead.

Six others sustained injuries to various parts of their bodies, while one passenger was unharmed. Some of the injured have already been discharged, while others remain under medical observation.

The names of the individuals involved have not been disclosed by the police.

In an interview with Bombo Radyo Baguio, Police Captain Angeline Dongpaen of the Tublay Municipal Police Station said initial findings suggest that a mechanical issue may have caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

Dongpaen added that overloading was not a factor, as the van is designed to carry eight passengers, and there were exactly eight people on board.

As of this writing, authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.

The police officer also reminded motorists to exercise caution when navigating steep and winding roads to prevent similar accidents.