December 03, (THEWILL) – No fewer than 16 person, were reportedly dead and two others critically injured in a ghastly motor accident along the Calabar-Itu highway.
According to eyewitness account, the crash occurred at about 3:30 pm on Saturday, December 2nd, involving a Nissan Caravan with registration number GWB532XY and a Mack Truck without registration number.
The eye witness, who is a mini bus driver and give his name simply as Silas, explained that the Caravan which was conveying passengers from Port Harcourt to Calabar, had tried to overtake another vehicle at Oku Iboku, near the Head Bridge and unfortunately came face to face with a truck conveying gravels, in an attempt to dodge the oncoming truck, got stucked under a stationary Mack Truck.
“I have never been this scared, the Nissan was carrying 18 people including the driver. Only two were alive dismantling the vehicle to bring them out. The two were not in good shape, a man and a woman. I can say that the man will survive but for the woman; her two legs were already cut offoff”. He explained.
The State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Matthew Olonisaye, who confirmed the incident on Sunday, through a statement by the Public Enlightenment Officer of the Command, Mr Paul James, however blamed the accident on over-speeding, noting that the accident could have been avoided if the motorists had adhered to safety regulations
“A fatal crash occurred on Saturday, December 2, 2023, along Itu-Calabar Road by Ayadehe at about 1510 hrs.
The crash involved a Nissan Caravan with Registration number GWB532XY and a Mark Truck with NO registration number.
“Eleven males and five females were involved, and three out of the five females and two out of the eleven males involved were confirmed dead, while the remaining eleven males and females sustained injuries of various degrees.
“When the report of the incident was received, the FRSC operatives mobilised and moved over to attend to the situation. Upon arrival at the crash scene, the injured ones were moved to nearby hospitals for prompt medical attention, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the morgue.
“When inquiry was made as to the cause of the crash, it was gathered that the causal factor to the crash was Speed related according to eyewitnesses. After the evacuation of the victims, the road was cleared of the wreckages to enable free-flow of traffic,” the statement said.
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