Two Accidents Claim 18 Lives in Northern Region

An accident on Sunday morning at Yapei-Yipala on the Tamale – Buipe Highway in the Northern Region left 16 people dead on the spot with scores of other passengers injured.

According to a police report issued by the Northern Regional Police Command in Tamale on Sunday, the accident happened at at 0142 hours GMT involving a Neoplan Bus with registration number GW 2659 –T, carrying 70 passengers and another bus with registration number GM 5383 – 12.

The report said the Neoplan Bus was travelling from Nalerigu to Ejura while the other bus was coming from the Buipe direction.

It said on reaching a section of the road at Yapei-Yipala in a curve on the Tamale-Buipe Highway, the driver of the Neoplan Bus attempted to overtake a cargo vehicle ahead of him and in the process, crashed into an oncoming bus.

It said the injured were rushed to the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) for treatment while the dead were also conveyed to the TTH Mortuary for preservation.

Meanwhile, there was another accident on Saturday at Savelugu between Diare and Gushie in the Northern Region, which claimed two lives, one on the spot and the other at the hospital.

According to a police report released by the Northern Regional Police Command on Sunday, the accident involved a tricycle loaded with firewood from Diare and a cargo truck, also loaded with lumber from Savelugu direction.

The report said preliminary investigations revealed that the rope tying the firewood got torn and the rider lost his balance and rode into the lane of the heavily loaded truck.

It said the body of one of the accident victims was smashed beyond recognition and the pieces could not be picked to the morgue, therefore a medical officer performed the autopsy on the spot.

It said the other victim, who was transported to the Tamale Teaching Hospital in an ambulance, also died later.

Source: GNA