A tragic traffic accident occurred when an intercity passenger bus overturned, resulting in the loss of nine lives and leaving 30 others injured, in the Aydıncık district of southern Türkiye's Mersin province on Tuesday.

The bus was en route from the resort town of Marmaris to the country's southeastern province of Mardin.

The incident took place at the exit of the Sarıyar Tunnel in the Yenikaş neighborhood on the D-400 highway, where the bus collided with a barrier and overturned.

Upon receiving the notification, emergency response teams, including health staff, gendarmerie, Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) representatives and firefighting units were dispatched to the scene.

The injured were promptly transported to hospitals by ambulances.

Mersin Governor Ali Hamza Pehlivan released a written statement, revealing that the accident occurred approximately 170 kilometers (around 100 miles) from the city center, on the Mersin-Antalya highway, at around 1:15 a.m. local time.

"A tragic traffic accident occurred as a result of the overturning of a passenger bus with 40 passengers and three employees members en route to Mersin," the governor said.

"I extend my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wish a speedy recovery to the injured individuals."

'It was too fast'

Passengers who survived the accident shared their experiences.

Fırat Burun, one of the passengers, mentioned that they resumed their journey after a break and described the incident, saying: "We exited the tunnel quickly. The driver didn't notice the curve, and the vehicle skidded. I tried to hold on to my friend."

Esra Uçar, a nursing student, alleged that the bus driver was driving too fast, stating: "I was going to (southeastern province of) Şırnak. The vehicle was going very fast. We constantly complained about the driver; it was his fault."

Şahin Selçuk, who suffered a leg injury, emphasized the need for a detailed investigation into the accident, explaining: "I boarded the bus from Antalya. The driver was driving the vehicle very poorly."

"In fact, I called my father and brother, expressing my intention to get off the bus in Antalya Serik, but I didn't because I couldn't find another vehicle. Ultimately, the driver, who entered the curve too fast in rainy weather, caused the bus to overturn, leading to the death of many people."