Priest, 3 Others Perish In Accident

Four persons, including a priest of the Berekum Methodist Church, died when a 207 Mercedes Benz bus on which they were travelling from Kumasi to Berekum was involved in an accident with a tractor at Abesewa, near Mankranso, last Tuesday night.

The impact of the crash was so great that some of the wood which the tractor was carrying penetrated the bus and pierced some of the passengers, killing them instantly.

Two persons, identified as Kwabena Asuma and Majidu Atilu, died on the spot from the multiple injuries they sustained, while the other two died at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where they had been rushed for treatment.

Those who died at the hospital have been identified as Isaac Appiah, the driver of the 207 Mercedes Benz bus, and Rev Patrick Amankonah, 51, of the Berekum Methodist Church.

Twenty-three other passengers who were travelling on the bus, with registration number AS 1161 Y, sustained various degrees of injury when it rammed into the tractor.

Both vehicles were travelling towards Sunyani. The driver of the tractor, Sanni Ali, who is on admission at the Duayaw Nkwanta Hospital, is said to be in critical condition.

The injured people were rushed to the Bechem and the Duayaw Nkwanta hospitals, while the critically wounded were sent to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Ahafo Ano South District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vitus Napen, said the incident occurred around 8 p.m. last Monday.

He explained that the police received a distress call indicating that a fatal accident had occurred at Abesewa on the Kumasi–Sunyani highway.

The District Commander said policemen were immediately despatched to investigate and on reaching the scene, they discovered that the 207 Benz bus, which was carrying 27 passengers, had crashed into the rear of the tractor, with registration number AS 4234 M.

He said initial investigations indicated that the tractor, which was also heading towards Sunyani and fully loaded with wood, did not have tail lights and reflectors, thereby preventing the driver of the bus from having a clear view.

ASP Napen said it was when the driver got closer to the tractor that he recognised the danger ahead but he could not swerve to save the situation.
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