One dead, three hurt in Atok vehicle crash

ATOK, Benguet -- One person died and three others were injured after a van crashed off a highway and plunged into a ravine in Atok, Benguet, on Wednesday morning.

The crash occurred at about 11:10 a.m. along Km. 38 in Barangay Abiang, but authorities were notified only at around 1:40 p.m.

Initial police investigation showed that the white van was traveling toward La Trinidad when the driver miscalculated a curve, causing the vehicle to hit a steel barrier on the right side of the highway before plunging about 10 meters into a ravine.

The 62-year-old driver, a resident of Ambasador, Tublay, Benguet, was declared dead by an attending physician.

Three passengers—a 40-year-old businesswoman, a 22-year-old man from Tubao, La Union, and a male minor—sustained minor injuries and were brought to Atok District Hospital for treatment.

Police withheld the names of those involved to respect the privacy of their families.

Authorities reminded motorists to exercise extra caution when navigating curved and elevated mountain roads and to observe traffic safety regulations.