A major accident this afternoon at No.19 Village, Corentyne claimed the lives of 12 including a two-month-old, the police said.
Ten of the dead have been identified as Odit Narine Babulall, 33, of No.48 Village; the two month-old baby Josiah Khan; the baby’s mother Carlita Mendonza, 21, of Kildonan; Cindy Jaggernauth; Marques Ault, 13, of Rose Hall; Salma Razack, 23, of Main Street, Cumberland; Patricia Asgar Ally, 28, of Albion; Orlando Maltoo, 35, of Kildonan; Salina Juman, 46, of Canje and Janet Baker, 42 years of No. 19 Village, Corentyne. Two men are still unidentified. There were 17 persons on the bus.
Stabroek News was unable to speak with any of the survivors of the accident since they were admitted to the ward and no one was allowed inside. However, Chief Executive Officer of the Berbice Regional Health Authority, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo said that the passengers recalled that the bus swerved and they felt an impact and then they could remember nothing else. Inside the bus were 17 persons, and he noted, that it was overloaded.
Five persons were also injured and admitted. Four are in stable condition and one has been transferred to the Georgetown Hospital.
The police in a statement tonight said investigations have revealed that motor lorry GLL 8863 was proceeding East along the roadway while mini-bus BHH 1842 driven by Baboolall was proceeding in the opposite direction.
“It is alleged that rain was falling at the time and that the driver of the motor lorry overtook another vehicle and ended up in the lane of the mini-bus, resulting in a head-on collision”, the release said.
“As a result the driver and eleven others who were in the mini-bus (six females and five males) lost their lives while five other passengers, four females and a male, have been hospitalized at the New Amsterdam Hospital and GPHC.”
The driver of the motor lorry and the two porters are in police custody assisting with the investigations.
