Updated: 7 pupils killed in head-on collision

Seven pupils of Leaders Bridge Academy in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality late Monday afternoon met their untimely death in a gory accident involving a haulage truck and a Mercedes Sprinter mini bus at Dompem, on the Agona-Nkwanta Tarkwa road in the Western region.

According to the police, six other pupils, a teacher and the driver of the Sprinter bus are in serious condition and have been transported to the 37 military Hospital in Accra and Effia-Nkwanta Regional Referral Hospital for care.

Police said the sprinter bus (school bus) was carrying the pupils and teachers who were heading home after school, when their speeding bus crashed into the heavy duty haulage truck.

The dead aged between 3 and 14 years and yet to be identified, were rushed to hospital facilities in Tarkwa and Ahanta West Municipalities but were pronounced dead on arrival.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Commander of the Western Regional Motor Traffic Department, Chief Superintendent Richard Appiah said the others who sustained injuries are receiving treatment at various hospitals.

He explained that at about 4.30p.m. Monday, the driver of the Sprinter mini-bus with registration number GC 2947-09, 44-year-old Clement Oduro was returning from Dompim to Ahwetieso a suburb of Tarkwa with the pupils and teachers.

“The driver on reaching a section between Dompim and Bonsa all in the Tarkwa Nsuaem dsitrict, and in a sharp curve he lost control and veered into the opposite lane of the oncoming haulage truck with registration number GT 9135-13 belonging to Shalonis Company limited,” he said.

The driver of the truck, Samuel Agyei also 44, could not save the sudden situation, hence the fatal collision.

The Regional Commander said the bodies of the victims have been deposited at Effia-Nkwanta and Tarkwa hospital morgues in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis and Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality respectively.

The driver of Sprinter bus who is on admission is responding to treatment while the truck driver is assisting the police in their investigation.