A tragic accident at Kwapia, near Obuasi, in the early hours of Monday, October 14, 2024, claimed the lives of 13 passengers after a VIP bus veered off the road and plunged into a ditch.
The bus, which was travelling from Kumasi to Enchi in the Western North Region, crashed, killing seven men, five women, and a child.
Accident details
According to the police in Obuasi, 12 of the passengers died instantly at the scene, while the driver, identified as Osei Adu, succumbed to his injuries shortly after being transported to a hospital for treatment.
Several others sustained various degrees of injuries, and they are receiving care at medical facilities in Obuasi.
Those with critical conditions have been transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.
Overloaded bus contributed to the tragedy
Eyewitnesses reported that the bus, registered as ER 2445-11, was overloaded after it picked up stranded passengers from another broken-down bus along the route.
A confrontation among some of the aggrieved passengers regarding the overcrowded condition is believed to have distracted the driver, contributing to the accident.
Investigation underway
The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at a local morgue, while the Obuasi police have launched an investigation to determine the exact circumstances leading to the accident. Families are mourning the tragic loss of their loved ones as the community is left in shock.
