Tokyo Disneyland Bus Crash Kills 7

TOKYO — A bus carrying dozens of vacationers to Tokyo Disneyland has crashed on a highway, killing seven passengers.

Police say the other 38 passengers and the driver were injured in Sunday morning's accident on a highway in Gunma, north of Tokyo.

The bus crashed into a roadside wall. Steel wall panels sliced the vehicle in half.

Police are investigating the cause. They say all the passengers are believed to be Japanese nationals, mostly young adults.

Police were having difficulty identifying the bodies. Six of those killed were women.

The crash happened as Japan head into the "Golden Week" holidays this week.

Comments

[Craig Bovia]

02:31 PM on 04/30/2012

Odd. Matching deaths halfway around the World.

[gmcinahuff]

08:48 AM on 04/30/2012

Lately it appears taking a ride to the zoo and Disney is a dangerous proposition.

[gmcinahuff]

08:46 AM on 04/30/2012

They didn't make it to Disneyland but I'm sure they made it the ultimate cosmic Disneyland, Heaven.

[danny saunders]

08:09 PM on 04/29/2012

Mr Toads Wild Ride?

[Carbon Forteetoo]

04:52 PM on 04/29/2012

Wrong castle pictured.

[GaryNOVA]

03:49 PM on 04/29/2012

Unless Micky Mouse came to life and fired a rocket launcher at the bus (don't get me wrong, he very well could have), Disney dosn't seem to have anything to do with the story. why the cinderellas castle pic?

[schnauzergirl]

10:47 AM on 04/30/2012

The destination for the bus trip was Disneyland Tokyo.

[GaryNOVA]

02:57 PM on 04/30/2012

Thanks captain obvious. but it doesn't seem Disney has enough to do with this incident to merit it being the centerpiece.

[berrygal66]

02:47 PM on 04/29/2012

Talk about misleading and blatantly incorrect information! This was not a Disney bus at all. The destination has no bearing on anything in the story.

[RandyMan7027]

01:43 PM on 04/29/2012

Using a photo of Cinderella Castle and the word "Disneyland" is yet another example of "pull marketing" (vs. "push") --that being crafting messages in such a way that the publication thinks readers will pay attention to (pull) because of a preexisting attraction rather than a clearer, up front statement of the facts (push). Disney gets attention. If the bus were going to a casino we'd likely not hear about it.

[leorangerie]

01:40 PM on 04/29/2012

Only makes the news because they were headed to Disneyland. The accident was tragic, the story association is...creepy.

[shirleyn48]

01:27 PM on 04/29/2012

With the EXTREME over crowding in Asia, I'm surprised there isn't more accident's; especially in China/India where there are a whopping BILLION people. Not sure why this is news here in the U.S. though.

[superducky951]

12:32 PM on 04/29/2012

They put the wrong title. It should of said Bus Going To Disney Land T Crashes. They just wanted attention on this.

[Johnny Grieco]

01:51 PM on 04/29/2012

Indeed. The majority of posts seem to reflect a consensus.

I clicked the headline to see why this story could possibly have any relevance to us here in the US or anywhere for that matter, other than Tokyo, a city of what 20 million plus citizens?

Alas, the word Disney apparently adds some weight to an otherwise inconsequential tragedy.

[thorrsman]

11:20 AM on 04/29/2012

Was this a "Disneyland " bus or merely going to Disneyland?

If the latter, the destination had little bearing on the story.

[metriks]

12:28 PM on 04/29/2012

Thank you.

[FanMeNot]

12:33 PM on 04/29/2012

Other than to get your attention in a misleading headline.

[aralpharetta]

11:15 AM on 04/29/2012

7 Dead - WOW

[Linda Marie Ba]

11:44 PM on 04/29/2012

HELLO...there were 7 dead in new york city near the bronx zoo.sunday morning 4 29 2012 .a suv went across 4 lanes of traffic and flipped over a guardrail falling 50 ft...suv was demolished..2 elderly..2 women 3 young children died..now this is sad...rip loved ones

[pllc]

11:11 AM on 04/29/2012

According to the Japan Times, the oldest English Newspaper publication in Japan, the bus driver admitted he was asleep at the wheel after departing on a 350 mile bus trip to Disneyland that left at 10pm. The accident occured about 90 miles from Disneyland at around 5am enroute to make the opening time of 8am. Golden Week period covers 6 various holidays over the course of 10 days so Japan just shuts down for the entire 10 days.

[tchrmom2G]

10:59 PM on 04/29/2012

Thank you for sharing the update. I hope that some changes come out of this tragedy. I know that when I do long tours here, the company that I use has a back-up driver to take over after a certain number of hours. It sounds like this company doesn't have that policy.

[rkeeeballs]

10:58 AM on 04/29/2012

And why is this story of any importance in america ? Sorry about the victims but, a bus crash in Japan is different than one in Florida ?...California ?....Tumbleweed, Oklahoma ? Not enough news in the US ?

[tkns]

01:58 PM on 04/29/2012

Because this is the world section. If you don't wan't to know anything about the world, stick to the US sections?