Accident claims eight lives on Sunyani-Berekum road

Eight persons, including mourners died on Saturday in an accident on the Sunyani-Berekum highway last Saturday.

A total of 10 people were involved in the accident.

The deceased were made up of five males and three females.

The accident involved a Toyota Corolla taxi cab and a private vehicle belonging to the Great Wall School.

The taxi cab with registration number AS 4819-17 was transporting four passengers from Sunyani towards Berekum and the private car with registration number GN 5753-12 also loaded with four mourners was travelling from Dormaa-Ahenkro to Sunyani. 

The accident happened at Amanfoso around 2:30.p.m., when the driver of the Great Wall private vehicle was said to have lost control of the steering wheel and crossed into the lane of the taxi cab to cause the accident.

The victims were rushed to the Berekum Holy Family Hospital and the Sunyani Teaching Hospital for medical attention.

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) told the Daily Graphic that all the eight occupants in the two vehicles had died due to the severe impact of the accident, while the identity of the drivers were yet to be made known to the police.

NRSA briefing 

The Bono Regional Public Relations Office (PRO) of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Gabriel Kwame Okyere, told Graphic Online that the taxi cab crashed into the passenger side of the private vehicle.

He explained that occupants on board both vehicles sustained deadly injuries.

Mr Okyere said seven victims made up of three males and four females were rushed to Sunyani Teaching Hospital for medical treatment but were confirmed dead by the Medical Officer, Dr Kofi Kusi Philemon, who was on duty at the time of the incident.

He explained that one of the other three victims who were also rushed to Berekum Holy Family Hospital for medical treatment later died while on admission.

Mr Okyere said the bodies had been deposited at the same hospital mortuaries for identification, preservation and autopsy. 

He said both accident vehicles were towed to the police station.