12 perish in accident

Twelve passengers  perished in a motor accident at Simpa near Nsuaem in the Tarkwa Nsuaem municipality when the vehicle on which they were travelling collided with a Mercedes Benz Bus on Monday night.

The Hyundai minibus with registration number WR 2905-13 was said to be returning from Takoradi to Tarkwa when the accident occurred in a curve on the Tarkwa-Apimanin highway.

According to the police, the Mercedes Benz bus with registration number GT 104 U belonging to a construction company was travelling from Tarkwa towards Takoradi. There were 13 passengers (including the driver) on board the vehicle.

The Western Regional MTTD Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr Thomas Bayor, told the Daily Graphic that upon reaching Simpa, the driver of the Mercedes Benz Bus saw that a faulty articulated low-bed truck with the registration number GR 664 D had parked in his lane.

He said in an attempt to overtake the faulty truck, the Benz Bus moved into the lane of the oncoming Hyundai minibus and rammed into it, resulting in the fatality.

At the time of the accident, at about 6:30 p.m., it was raining, therefore visibility was poor.

Mr Bayor said 11 bodies have been removed from the scene of the accident and sent to the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital morgue. One of the bodies was found trapped in one of the vehicles on Tuesday morning when the police arrived to continue their investigation.

By Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu/Daily Graphic/Ghana