Bus and truck crash near Arandis

By: ADAM HARTMAN

A BUS with about 50 students of the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT) at Arandis, crashed into a low-bed truck about 50km outside Swakopmund.

The accident took place during lunchtime on Friday, leaving 15 injured, including the bus driver whose leg had to be amputated, according to paramedics.
The truck driver, Hillwerich Kathora, was turning off toward the Stone Africa marble and granite works to load granite blocks, when the bus slammed into the back of his trailer.
“It was an accident. It was not the bus driver’s fault either. He was trying to avoid a head-on collision. There was a white bakkie speeding past the bus when I was turning, while another car was coming from the front. The bus driver must have seen a head-on collision coming and so tried to get out of the way, but that’s when he hit my trailer,” explained Kathora.
The impact from behind sounded like a “big bang” before the truck jackknifed, according to Kathora.
The bakkie and the oncoming vehicle were not involved in the crash.
Paramedic services, police and the Swakopmund fire brigade were at the scene soon after the accident. The B2 highway was blocked on both sides and motorists had to use a detour.
The injured were all taken to hospitals in Swakopmund.

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