Y’de-Sangmelima road: Car crash kills at least 15, injures others.

The accident is said to have occurred in the morning period of yesterday. The tragic incident occurred precisely in the Kombe village, Sangmelima Subdivision, Dja and Lobo Division in the South Region. 

The Guardian Post gathered that the accident resulted from a head-on collision between a heavy-duty truck, matriculated LTSR 57280 and a passenger bus with matriculation number plate CE0440A, belonging to the public transport agency called Galaxie Voyage. 

According to sources, the 30-seater bus departed from the chief town of the Dja-and-Lobo Division at about 6 a.m. The 23 passengers, plus the driver on board the vehicle, were heading to Yaounde, when they met their untimely death. 

Locals who rushed to the scene believed over speeding and reckless driving should be blamed. 

State broadcaster, CRTV, announced that initial report suggested at least 15 passengers died on the spot while the injured victims were rushed to the Emergency Unit of the Sangmelima Referral Hospital. 

Going by a community radio based in Sangmelima, both drivers of the bus and the truck died on the spot of the accident. 

“The bus was coming from Sangmelima while the truck was coming from the opposite direction. I only heard a loud sound and when I turned, I saw a man screaming. Then I alerted my children who came and immediately started to rescue those who were still alive,” a witness recounted. 

Informed of the incident, South Region governor, Felix Nguele Nguele, alongside the Commander of the South Gendarmerie Legion, Regional Delegate for National Security and the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO of Dja-and-Lobo, paid a visit to the accident site to assess the situation.

The public authorities then sensitised road users on responsible driving. The Governor Nguele Nguele-led team of officials later visited the hospital facility and presented their best wishes of quick recover to the victims.

The governor also took special measures to ensure that the survivors were taken care of free of charge. 

Meanwhile, reports indicate that activities of the Galaxie traveling agency in Sangmelima were also temporally shut down following the accident. 

The remains of the deceased were deposited at the morgue of the Sangmelima Referral Hospital.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3255 of Thursday October 10, 2024