January 24, (THEWILL) – A bus transporting journalists covering the Africa Cup of Nations was involved in an accident in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The bus was returning to the AFCON Main Media Centre in Abidjan, Ivory Coast after journalists attended matches in Yamoussoukro the previous night.
Around 2am local time, the bus veered off the road and collided with a warehouse wall as it approached Abidjan. Many passengers sustained minor injuries, according to local reports. The injured were transported to Teichville University Hospital Centre for treatment.
Among the injured was former AIPS Young Reporter, Alex Cizmic. In a voice note to AIPS President, Gianni Merlo, an exhausted Cizmic confirmed there were many slight injuries. Nigerian journalist, Oluwaseun Oyediji, posted photos on X of bruises he received.
The bus driver and coordinator endured more serious injuries, per reports. The coordinator’s foot was trapped in the wreckage for some time before being successfully rescued. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by local authorities.
Officials have not released the exact number of journalists injured in the incident. The AFCON committee issued a statement saying it is providing support and assistance to those involved.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
