By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Six people have died on the spot while 40 including the bus driver escaped with serious injuries after a road traffic accident.
The accident involving a Nakonde bound bus and a Tanzanian registered ScaniaTruck.
Deputy Police Public Relations Officer Danny Mwale said some of the victim who died have been identified as Jona Phiri 45, of Meanwood in Lusaka, Dickson Kaonga Samuel 39 of unknown address and Kabwe Hope of Katozi village in Nakonde.
Mr Mwale said 15 people survived with no injuries.
He said the accident happened when the driver of the Scania Truck failed to keep to his near side resulting into the bus hitting the rear side of the trailer of the truck.
Mr Mwale said in the process the bus lost control and careered off the road to the left side and plunged into a dry stream.
He said due to the impact four passengers sustained fatal injuries and died on the spot. Two other passengers died while at Chinsali General Hospital.
Mr Mwale said the accident involved a Zhong Tong Bus bearing registration number AIC 61, property of Mbwee motors which was being driven by Nathan Mwendapole 44, of house number AB extension in Mufulira with 61 passangers on board from Lusaka to Nakonde and Scania truck and Trailer bearing registration numbers T 382 ADV and T 546 AGS property of Anna Anthony Mbrosso Investment of Tanzania which was driven by Hussein Yassin Mvungi 29, of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with one passenger on board.
He said the truck was travelling from Tanzania to Kipushi.
“The accident happened on August 1, 2021 at 14:50 hours at Kanakashi village 35 Kilometres north of Shiwangandu District along the Great North Road.
“The bus was extensively damaged.Police have launched a manhunt for the truck driver who escaped soon after the accident,” he said.
Mr Mwale said the injured passengers including the bus driver are all admitted to Chinsali General Hospital while bodies of the deceased were deposited in the same Hospital Mortuary.
