Two of the 23 passengers in the van that figured in an accident in Cebu passed away hours after they were brought to the hospital. 

One is a 56-year-old woman while the other is a two-year-old girl. The two are not related but both were from Barangay Babag in Cebu City.

It was clarified that 23 were brought to the hospital. It was reported earlier that 20 people were involved in the accident.

Major Joffre Grande, the chief of the Cordova Municipal Police Station, told GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak that the woman and child succumbed to their injuries.

They were among the four who sustained major injuries when the van turned turtle when one of its rear tires burst as it was driving up the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), a bridge that connects Mactan Island to mainland Cebu.

The van was coming from Cordova town and was heading to a terminal at a mall in Cebu City in mainland Cebu.

The incident happened around 2 p.m. on May 4, 2024.

The woman and child passed away at the hospital evening that day.

The other passengers, including the driver, are recuperating from their injuries at the hospital, as of this writing.

Police are investigating the incident and one aspect they are looking into is whether or not the van was overloaded.

The police also advised motorists to always check their vehicles and to remember the acronym BLOWBAGETS, which represents the different aspects that need to be checked prior to travel, including battery, lights, oil, water, brake, air, gas, engine, tire, and self.

“Atong pahimangno sa mga drivers, always check ilang mga sakyanan, before traveling. Naa man tay BLOWBAGETS (Battery, lights, oil, water, brake, air, gas, engine, tire, and self)… basic na sa pag-byahe, unya di sad mag-overloading… anagayan gyud ma-implement ang insakto nga gidaghanon sa sakay sa sakyanan,” Grande said.