A Chinese bus driver managed to save 45 passengers on an expressway in Ningxia after suffering a sudden heart attack, bringing the vehicle to a stop in his final moments before dying at the wheel.
Zhou Qihong, 56, was driving passengers along the Beijing-Tibet Expressway on Monday when he was suddenly struck by a medical emergency, China Daily reported.
Dashcam video showed that at around 7:04 a.m., Zhou grabbed his chest and struggled to struggled to maintain control of the bus as his condition quickly deteriorated.
Moments later, his right hand slipped from the steering wheel and his body slumped toward the window, causing the bus to swerve into a roadside guardrail. After nearly 20 seconds, he managed to regain control, straighten the vehicle and apply the brakes.
Vehicles on an expressway in China. Photo by Unsplash |
The bus came to a halt beside a roadside ditch more than two meters deep, with all 45 passengers safe. By the time passengers rushed to help him, Zhou had collapsed to one side with his right foot still pressing the brake. He died soon after.
Officials said Zhou’s actions helped avert a potentially disastrous crash. The local transport department said it is seeking to posthumously honor him with the title of “Bravery for a Just Cause.”
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