More than 53 die in Ghana’s worst road crash

Thursday, February 18, 2016 11:01 am

Ghana: scene of the accident. Photo Graphic Online

At least 53 people died in northern Ghana when a bus hit a truck head-on some 420 km (260 miles) north of the capital Accra overnight, eyewitnesses and police said on Thursday.

It is the country’s worst road crash in years.

The Metro Mass Transit coach was heading to the northern town of Tamale from the second largest city of Kumasi when it collided with a cargo truck loaded with boxes of tomatoes, regional police chief Maxwell Atingane said.

Ghana’s Graphic newspaper said the death toll will get higher as some of the injured taken to hospitals have also died.

The accident happened around 8pm a few metres away from the Kintampo township on the way to Tamale and near the waterfalls, reported The Graphic.

“Many passengers were trapped under the bus. The injured were taken to hospital for medical attention.

“The accident resulted in a heavy vehicular traffic In the area as vehicles queued, waiting for the accident scene to be cleared.

President Mahama: sends condolences to relations of victims

“The police said their initial investigations indicated the MMT bus had brake problems”, said Graphic.

President John Dramani Mahama has expressed condolence to families who have lost loved ones in Wednesday night’s accident on the Kintampo-Tamale road.

In a tweet Wednesday night the President said: “Received the sad news of an accident involving a M.M.T bus on the Kintampo-Tamale road. Condolences to those who’ve lost loved ones.”