Passenger brings bus to halt after driver suffers fatal heart attack

Japan Today -- Sep 24

A passenger took the steering wheel of an expressway bus and brought it to a halt after the driver lost consciousness on the Tohoku Expressway in Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture, on Friday night. The 46-year-old driver was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

According to police and passengers, the incident occurred at around 9:30 p.m. The bus, operated by the Miyako Bus Co, was on its way from Sendai to Osaki with 21 passengers, Fuji TV reported. Passengers seated near the front of the bus said the driver groaned and then lost consciousness, slumping in his seat.

As the bus hit the expressway center divider, a male passenger grabbed the wheel and brought the bus to a halt on the edge of the road. Another passenger called 119. No passengers were hurt in the incident.

The driver was taken to hospital where doctors said Saturday that he had suffered a fatal heart attack.

According to the bus company, the driver last had a medical checkup in July and nothing out of the ordinary was found with his health.

Sep 24 (ANNnewsCH) - 22日夜、宮城県大崎市の東北道で高速バスの運転手が意識を失い、異変に気付いた乗客が代わってブレーキなどを操作してバスを停車させました。 午後9時半ごろ、大崎市三本木の東北道下り車線で、仙台発古川行きの高速バスの運転手が走行中に意識を失いました。