WINDHOEK – An outing to the Zambezi river ended in tragedy for seven youngsters when the vehicle they were travelling in left the road and overturned when the driver – who is also alleged to be a youngster – failed to negotiate a curve in the road.
According to information by the police spokesperson, Inspector Stephen Nuuyi, five young people died in the accident, while two others succumbed to their injuries in Katima Mulilo State Hospital. A further seven are in a serious condition. Three of the victims were airlifted to Windhoek yesterday afternoon by the E-Med Rescue-24 ambulance plane.
The little available information at the time of going to print indicated that the youngsters went on a swimming excursion to Wenela point in a Toyota pick-up. None of the victims including the driver has been identified yet. Police are also looking for the owner of the pick-up as they are not certain at this stage whether the driver was the owner.
The driver is said to be in critical condition in the Katima Mulilo hospital. The accident happened on Friday evening, October 18, at about 19:00 on the main road between Katima Mulilo and Wenela near the Unam Katima Mulilo campus. Police investigations continue and the police requested the public’s assistance in identifying the deceased as well as the injured.
By Roland Routh