11 dead, six others injured in crash on Tamale-Buipe highway

11 persons have died in a crash involving a Toyota minibus and a DAF tipper truck.

The incident occurred on the Tamale Buipe highway at about 7:30 pm on Tuesday, April 13, 2021.

According to the police, five others are also in critical condition.

“Eleven persons comprising nine male adults, one female adult and one female child, including the driver of the Toyota minibus, died on the spot and five persons sustained various degrees of injury.”

Confirming the incident to Citi News, the Savannah Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Adjekum Owusu said the incident occurred when the Toyota minibus they were travelling in veered off its lane and collided with a tipper truck at Alipe near Yapei in the Savannah Region.

A statement from the police stated that: “On 13/04/2021 at about 1930 hours suspect driver yet to be identified was in charge DAF tipper truck with registration number NR 578 F loaded with sand traveling from Yapei to Tamale while driver Akonsi Sumaila now deceased was in charge of Toyota mini bus with registration number AS 2872- 20 with about 18 persons on board traveling from Tamale to Kumasi. And on reaching a section of the road at Alipe near Yapei on the Tamale-Buipe Highway the driver with the Toyota minibus veered off his lane and collided head-on with the DAF tipper truck.”

“The injured were rushed to Yapei Health Center and later conveyed by ambulance to the Tamale Teaching Hospital for treatment whilst the deceased persons were deposited at the same hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy. Efforts are being made to tow the accident vehicles to the station for investigation,” the statement noted

Inspector Owusu blamed the rampant road crashes on drivers taking advantage of police MTTD not operating at night to speed.

He thus called on drivers to drive with caution.

Citinewsroom