Brake Failure Leads to Devastating Crash in Albay; 11 Passengers Killed

A quiet Wednesday morning in Camalig, Albay turned into a scene of tragedy and heartbreak after a UV Express van and a 10-wheeler truck plunged into a ravine, killing 11 out of the vehicle’s 13 passengers.

According to Camalig Mayor Caloy Baldo, the accident happened around 9 a.m. along the bypass road in Barangay Libod. What followed was an agonizing eight-hour rescue and retrieval operation as authorities battled steep terrain, unstable ground, and the wreckage lodged deep in the ravine.

Responders from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO)–Camalig and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) worked under dangerous conditions to reach the victims. Many of the passengers were pinned between the crumpled UV Express van and the massive truck, making the operation slow, risky, and emotionally draining.

“Out of the 13 passengers of the UV Express, only two survived,” Mayor Baldo said in a sorrowful update.

The survivors—who had to be rushed to the hospital—were described as shaken and in shock, unable to piece together how the ordinary commute they took that morning turned into a nightmare.

Initial investigation revealed that the truck allegedly lost its brakes while navigating the road, violently slamming into the UV Express and sending both vehicles falling into a creek below. The impact was so strong that it instantly crushed the van, trapping its passengers inside.

The truck driver and his helper survived and were brought to the hospital for treatment and questioning.

Families of the victims rushed to the site, many breaking down as rescuers retrieved bodies one by one. What should have been a routine trip on the Nabua–Legazpi route instead became a devastating reminder of how quickly lives can be lost on the road.

As Camalig mourns, the community is left grappling with grief, unanswered questions, and the painful sight of a tragedy that claimed too many lives too soon.