A 13-year-old boy became the first person to die in an accident involving a Phnom Penh city bus in Sen Sok district’s Teuk La’ak commune on Sunday.

The victim, Ros Rath Panha, was driving his motorbike east on Russian Boulevard near the side of the road when a city bus driving alongside tried to pull up to the curb.

Panha was dragged under the bus and killed instantly, while his motorbike skidded to a halt nearby, according to eyewitness testimony cited by police.

The bus driver fled the scene and is being sought by authorities, according to Chiv Hak, a traffic police chief in Phnom Penh. The bus, plate number 37 3-0049, was impounded, pending investigation.

Ros Kheng, the victim’s uncle, said Panha was a student and his family’s only son. The family has not yet called for compensation as they are busy with funeral arrangements.

Family members blamed the driver for the tragedy, according to Kheng.

“The driver must appear to find a solution,” he said.

City Hall spokesman Long Dimanche said yesterday that he had no knowledge of this case and could not comment until he familiarised himself with the details.

An employee of Phnom Penh’s Department of Transportation yesterday said his office would not comment on the tragedy.

City Hall, with support from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), launched the public bus program at the start of 2014.

Currently, between 6,000 and 7,000 passengers daily take one of 50 buses, running on three lines.