KMB Passenger Dies on Upper Deck; Coroner Rules Natural Death, Recommends Enhanced Inspections
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
A 33-year-old bus passenger, Kwan Chung-man (關崇文), died on the upper deck of a KMB route 61M service in the early hours of March 6, 2025, but was not discovered until the following morning when the early-shift driver found him unconscious and sent him to Tuen Mun Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Coroner's Court jury returned a unanimous verdict of death by natural causes on September 29, 2026, attributing the death to atherosclerotic plaque causing coronary artery obstruction. The jury made two recommendations to KMB: enhancing frontline staff safety training and improving supervision mechanisms for upper deck inspections.
Key Points
- Kwan Chung-man (關崇文), 33, a driver by profession with no pre-existing medical conditions, boarded the KMB 61M in the early hours of March 6, 2025
- The night-shift driver, Lui Chi-keung (呂自強), did not inspect the upper deck—only called out from the lower deck and checked CCTV before returning the bus to the depot
- The early-shift driver, Chan Wing-kit (陳永傑), discovered Kwan seated on the upper deck with head drooped, eyes closed, appearing to sleep at around 7:00 a.m.
- Medical expert Dr Ko Wing-fu (高永富) testified that Kwan's coronary arteries were 80% blocked, causing sudden cardiac arrest without warning symptoms
- Coroner Tsang Hing-tung (曾慶東) ordered KMB to respond in writing within three months regarding implementation of the jury's recommendations
Why It Matters
The case exposes a critical safety gap in overnight bus operations: the night-shift driver's failure to inspect the upper deck allowed a medical emergency to go unnoticed for hours . KMB must now address the jury's recommendations to prevent similar tragedies, particularly given that vulnerable passengers—including intoxicated or cognitively impaired individuals—could be at risk on upper decks of late-night services .
The case exposes a critical safety gap in overnight bus operations: the night-shift driver's failure to inspect the upper deck allowed a medical emergency to go unnoticed for hours . KMB must now address the jury's recommendations to prevent similar tragedies, particularly given that vulnerable passengers—including intoxicated or cognitively impaired individuals—could be at risk on upper decks of late-night services .