Chitipa road accident kills 9, injures 64

Nine people have died while 64 others sustained injuries after a vehicle they were travelling in overturned on Sunday at Kaseye Bridge on the Ifumbo-Lufita Road in Chitipa District.

In an interview on Monday, Chitipa Police Station spokesperson Gladwell Simwaka said the motor vehicle registration RU 1141 a Fuso Fighter lorry, had 72 passengers on board.

He identified the passengers as members of the African International Church who were travelling from Ifumbo to Lufita.

“Upon reaching Kaseye Bridge, the driver failed to control the motor vehicle and it veered off the bridge and plunged into Kaseye River,” said Simwaka.

He said all the victims were taken to Chitipa District Hospital where eight of them were pronounced dead upon arrival and the other 64 are still admitted to the facility.

Simwaka said another victim died on Monday morning, bringing the number of fatalities to nine.

In a separate interview, Chitipa district director of health and social services Dr. Wilson Ching’anisaid the eight deceased included two males and six females.

“One victim sustained a fracture on the left arm and the other 63 sustained different degrees of minor injuries and we are still monitoring their conditions,” he said.

Police have launched a hunt for the driver who is still at large.

Last week, seven people died in a road accident that happened at Katengedza Trading Centre in Dowa while five people died in another road accident in Zomba.

Recently, the country has recorded a surge in road accidents leading to fatalities and injuries. According to a police report, the country recorded 636 fatal road accidents that have claimed 720 lives between January and June this year compared to 570 fatal road accidents that claimed 616 lives during the corresponding period in 2020.