WINDHOEK – Six people including a 3-year-old toddler died in two separate and gruesome road crashes on Sunday on the B1 national road between Otjiwarongo, Otavi and Tsumeb, leaving more than ten seriously injured.
The B1 was conspicuously busy on Sunday, with many motorists rushing back from the north to Windhoek after attending the boxing bonanza in Outapi, which featured Namibia’s World Boxing Organisation (WBO) International Lightweight champion Paulus ‘The Hitman’ Moses’s and others on Saturday night. The first accident occurred some 50 kilometres from Otavi on the way to Otjiwarongo at around 15h15 where three people died on the spot. It is alleged a Kia sedan vehicle coming from Otavi collided side-ways with an approaching truck. The driver of the Kia lost control of the vehicle, which rolled several times killing the 25-year-old female driver and a 24-year-old passenger, also a female, instantly. The third occupant, a 36-year-old male sustained serious injuries and is in a critical condition in the Otjiwarongo State Hospital.
Sadly, a Citi Golf which was following the Kia also bumped it from behind and it also lost control killing a 35-year-old woman on the spot. She was alone in the vehicle.
The truck driver escaped unhurt. Just moments later, another fatal accident occurred some 64 km from Tsumeb on the way to Otavi where three people, including a 3-year-old boy and his mother died. The accident happened around 15h50. It is alleged that a Toyota Hilux pick-up (bakkie) carrying nine occupants coming from the north overtook another vehicle on a blind spot causing it to collide head-on with an oncoming vehicle, also a Citi Golf.
The fatal crash brought the flow of traffic on the road to a virtual standstill as curious onlookers abandoned their cars to get closer to the scene of the accident. When New Era arrived at the scene, dead bodies and the injured were lying scattered around the wrecked vehicles. Sergeant Maureen Mbeha, Nampol spokesperson in the Otjozondjupa Region confirmed both accidents.
By Albertina Nakale