Five Chinese tourists were killed when a Toyota Hiace minibus plunged into a ravine on the Singaraja–Denpasar Road in Buleleng, Bali, early on Friday morning (14 November 2025).
The incident occurred at kilometre 7.7 in Banjar Dinas Prabukula, Padangbulia Village, Sukasada District, at around 4.30 a.m. Central Indonesian Time.
The vehicle, bearing licence plate N 7605 TA, was carrying a tour group when it reportedly left the asphalt road and fell into a ravine. According to the police, the vehicle had been travelling south towards Singaraja at the time of the accident.
Buleleng Police Public Relations Chief, First Inspector Yohana Rosalin Diaz, confirmed that there were 13 Chinese nationals in the vehicle.
“Eight other passengers suffered injuries and are currently being treated at KDH Hospital in Singaraja,” she said, as reported by Kompas.com.
Five passengers were pronounced dead after being taken to Buleleng Regional Hospital. They were identified as Xu Huangyuan (65), Xu Mingbiao (61), Xu Yuexiang (52), Zhong Yuemei (63), and Xu Huijuan (61).
Their bodies have been transferred to the hospital’s mortuary while authorities coordinate with the relevant embassy.
@balitv_official Lakalantas Maut di Padangbulia, 5 WN China Meninggal dan 8 Luka-luka Sumber : Balipost.com (Nyoman Yudha/balipost) Video : Singaraja Now #lakalantaspadangbulia #buleleng #polresbuleleng ♬ original sound – Bali TV
Police Investigate Cause of Ravine Plunge
The minibus was driven by Arif Al Akbar (39), a resident of Pasuruan, East Java. He survived with minor injuries. Police have questioned the driver and several witnesses to reconstruct the sequence of events along the steep and winding section of the road.
“From the crime scene investigation, the driver is suspected of being careless when navigating a downhill road and turning, causing the vehicle to leave the asphalt and become embroiled,” Inspector Diaz said.
She added that the vehicle entered a resident’s garden before striking a tree.
In a separate statement, she confirmed that the impact caused the vehicle to bounce off after hitting the tree. “The Hiace left the asphalt road, entered a resident’s garden, and then hit a tree, throwing it off,” she explained.
Emergency teams evacuated the victims shortly after the crash. Police at the Sukasada sector office have secured the area and collected evidence, including photographs of skid marks and the vehicle’s final position, as part of the investigation.
Authorities are continuing to examine the condition of the vehicle and driver to determine the primary cause of the crash. Coordination with tour operators and insurance providers is also underway.
