Ghana bus accident claims 53 lives

A regional police official says 53 people were killed when a bus collided head-on with a truck carrying tomatoes in central Ghana, the country’s deadliest road accident in recent memory.

Christopher Tawiah said on Thursday the accident occurred Wednesday night in Kintampo, more than 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of the capital, Accra. He said 18 adults and five children survived and were receiving treatment at a government hospital. Fred Dwomoh, whose son survived, said by phone from Kintampo that there was “devastation” at the scene, with bodies strewn on the road. President John Dramani Mahama expressed condolences for affected families on Twitter. Officials are investigating. Ghana’s National Road Safety Commission reported that more than 1,600 people were killed in road accidents last year. 

“Many of the passengers on the bus died on the spot,” Atingane said, adding that about 23 others were injured, some seriously, and were being treated at a local hospital. Atingane said initial accounts of the cause of the crash cited a mechanical failure on the bus, but he added that the police were investigating. A witness said the scene was “pathetic and gory” and passengers were trapped in the bus wreckage. “There were human bodies strewn around,” said George Blah, a resident.