38 killed in Senegal autocrash
No fewer than 38 people have reportedly died, while many were on Sunday injured in an accident that involve two buses near the town of Kaffrine in central Senegal as reported by the president and the fire services.
President Macky Sall, in response to the “grave” accident, declared three days of national mourning beginning Monday.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic road accident,” he said on Twitter.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”
Meanwhile, the Senegalese prosecutor in a separate statement said, 38 people had been killed.
Cheikh Dieng, stated that early investigations suggested that the accident occurred when “a bus assigned to the public transport of passengers, following the bursting of a tyre, left its trajectory before colliding head-on with another bus coming in the opposite direction.”
Colonel Cheikh Fall, who is in charge of operations for the West African country’s National Fire Brigade, had earlier told AFP that 38 people had died and 87 were injured in the accident.
The accident took place around 3.15 am local time (0315 GMT) Sunday morning, Fall told AFP, adding that all the victims have been evacuated to a hospital and medical centre in Kaffrine.
President Sall said after the period of national mourning finished, a government council will be held to “take firm measures on road safety”.
AFP
