Eight people died on Sunday night after the minibus they were travelling in overturned at Hara, an area on the M1 Road between Mzuzu and Karonga Road, Karonga Police said Monday.
Deputy spokesperson, George Mulewa, told The Daily Times that the bus overturned after one of the tyres burst and the driver lost control as he was speeding.
Mulewa said the Toyota minibus, registration number CP 9379, was carrying 17 passengers
“Three people died on the spot, while five died on their way to Karonga District Hospital,” Mulewa said
“Six passengers including the driver sustained serious injuries while three others have sustained minor injuries and are being treated as outpatients at Karonga District Hospital,” Mulewa said.
Postmortem results revealed that the eight died due to severe head and internal injuries.
Police identified some of the deceased as Labson Silumbu, 49, from Chendo Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwaulambia in Chitipa District, John Mdula, 40, from Chivundiko Village T/A Wasambo in Karonga District, 41-year-old Sonia Tchongwe from Mwangamira village T/A Wasambo in Karonga District and Enelesi Gama. Others have not been identified.
Meanwhile, police in the district have advised road users to be responsible and observe road signs and regulations in order to prevent accidents.
Leave a Reply