18 people killed in twin road accidents

Road accident along the Asmara-Fishey Mirara road and the Asmara-Senafe route yesterday claimed the lives of 18 people, while a total of 52 persons sustained heavy and light injuries.

Asmara, 12 January 2011 – Road accident along the Asmara-Fishey Mirara road and the Asmara-Senafe route yesterday claimed the lives of 18 people, while a total of 52 persons sustained heavy and light injuries.

In the accident that occurred at “Viviyo” along the Asmara-Fishey Mirara road, a bus carrying 48 passengers skidded and overturned off the bridge 75 meters down resulting in the death of 16 people, according to Capt. Girmai Gebremedhin, head of accident investigation and control unit in the Eritrean Traffic Police. Another 32 passengers also sustained major and minor injuries in the accident, he added.

Capt. Girmai further explained that the cause of the accident is negligence on the part of the driver and overload in the bus.

Meanwhile, two people were killed and 20 others wounded in the road accident that occurred in the same day around Digsa along the Asmara-Senafe route.

Reports indicated that a total of 138 people were killed and 1,665 sustained injuries in road accidents last year. Besides, property  worth over 32 million Nakfa was destroyed as a result of such accidents in the same year.