Woman killed in bus crash with tractor, 14 others hospitalized

One person died on the spot, while 14 others who sustained severe injuries are battling for their lives at the Sunyani Regional Hospital following a vehicular accident on the Berekum-Nsoatre Highway on Saturday evening.

The accident occurred when a Ford Transit Bus with registration number AE 661-13 driven by one Kwabena Kyere tried to overtake a tractor.

In the process of overtaking the tractor, the high light of an oncoming vehicle blurred the vision of the ford transit bus driver and forced him to crash with the tractor on the side thereby killing a female passenger in the bus.

According to the police, the driver of the bus, Kyere said when he was trying to overtake the tractor, the driver of the tractor veered into the inner lane.

A male passenger who was seated in front of the bus had his left shoulder peeled off, while other passengers sustained life-threatening injuries.

The victims, who were travelling from Berekum to Sunyani were rushed to the Sunyani Regional Hospital where they are currently receiving treatment.

According to the police, the driver of the Ford Transit Bus has, however been treated and discharged.

Police Response

The Brong Ahafo Regional Commander of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), Superintendent Stella Sedame, told Graphic Online that the tractor was on the road without light, no number plate and no reflectors to help other motorists to detect its presence.

According to her, the driver of the tractor could not be found after the incident and suggested that he might be in a health facility treating himself adding that “I cannot therefore conclude that he has run away because of the accident”.

Supt Sedame said the police was conducting investigation to locate the driver or the owner of the tractor and appealed to the public to help the command to locate the two.

She explained that when the police rushed to the accident scene, some residents had assisted to take the victims to the hospital for treatment, adding that the accident vehicles were towed to the regional MTTD yard for further investigation.

Supt Sedame observed that accidents mostly happen during the weekend explaining that unqualified drivers use their vehicle during that time because of the limited police presence on the road.

Supt Sedame called on drivers and other road users to be extra careful when on the road to avoid accidents to minimize the increasing spate of accidents.