The consulate general of China in Perth has confirmed on Monday evening that the mini-bus which was involved in Sunday’s crash on an isolated road in Western Australia was carrying Chinese tourists.
“On Dec. 9, a serious traffic accident involving Chinese citizens occurred on the Indian Ocean Highway near Lancelin in northern Western Australia, killing two,” the consulate told Xinhua.
A third person, who was the driver of the other vehicle also died at the scene, while nine other Chinese nationals remained in hospital in stable conditions.
According to a statement from Western Australian Police, a utility vehicle crashed into the mini-bus after making contact with a vehicle traveling in the same direction.
The impact from this collision then caused the utility vehicle to veer onto the opposite side of the road where is crashed into the mini-bus “head-on.”
Considered to be one of the state’s most notorious stretches of road, six people lost their lives on the 60 km stretch of road in 2017 alone.
As a result, the Chinese consulate general in Perth has warned visitors that road safety remains the number one threat for tourists coming to Western Australia, with the Indian Ocean Drive particularly prone to serious traffic accidents and casualties.