ELEVEN people have died on the spot in a road traffic accident on Monze – Mazabuka road in the early hours of this morning.
The accident that occurred around 02:45 hours in Kaleya township of Mazabuka involved a Namwala-Lusaka bound Marcopolo bus and a South African truck and trailer that collided head-on.
A check at the accident scene found police officers removing bodies of the deceased from the extensively damaged bus.
Southern Province police commissioner Mary Chikwanda, who rushed to Mazabuka, confirmed that out of the eleven people that died, eight were males while three were females.
Chikwanda disclosed that a total of 24 casualties that include two children with the youngest being six months old have been rushed and admitted to Mazabuka District hospital.
She said that out of the 24 casualties, three males and five females are admitted to the hospital in a very critical condition.
Chikwanda disclosed that both the driver for the Marcopolo bus identified as Nobble Hamukale aged between 30 – 35 years and the driver for the South African Truck, Wedson Chauluka, a South African national, died on the spot.
She disclosed that according to survivors, the accident occurred when the driver of the truck, registration number WXV 588 GP went to the opposite lane where the bus was in an attempt to avoid hitting a cyclist.
Namwala district commissioner Gevar Nsanzya who also rushed to the scene appealed for calm among the people of Namwala saying health authorities at Mazabuka District Hospital were doing everything possible to evacuate the seriously injured to the University Hospital in Lusaka.