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Lorry crash kills five students
2006-04-10 08:55:02
By Augustino Chindiye, PST, Tunduru
Five students of Kiumma Secondary School in Tunduru District died on the spot and 35 others were injured, 12 of them seriously, when a lorry they were travelling in overturned at Mount Matemanga on the Songea – Tunduru Road.
Those killed in the accident; according to Tunduru District Government Hospital officials are: Galus Lombo, Rehema Telela, Fatu Selemani, Ausi Chikambo and Said Rashid Saidi.
The accident occurred at Saturday evening.
The injured students who are recuperating at the Tunduru Hospital are Sharifu Inado, Fadhili Mponda, Daudi Khasim, Rahim Mwenda and Saidi Lauma.
Others are; Boniface Sinja Haule, Sweetbert Msojele, Abdala Abdala, Abasi Milanzi, Sharifa Mkwenda, Fatuma Mponda and Rehema Malipesa.
According to eyewitnesses, an Isuzu CVR, with registration number TZB910, loaded with maize, rice and beans stopped at Kiumma Secondary School and picked up 40 students.
The students were returning home for Easter holidays.
The lorry whose merchandise was estimated to weigh about 12 tonnes, was heading for Tunduru from Songea.
In total, it was ferrying 46 passengers.
The student-passengers were believed to have paid 3,500/- each as fare.
However, on reaching Mt.Matemanga escarpment, about 40 kilometres from Tunduru, the lorry failed to descend the steep slope and overturned.
The injured passengers were treated at Kiumma Health Centre, but according to an official of the centre, Titus Tumbu , 12 seriously wounded students were transferred to Tunduru District Hospital.
Ruvuma Regional Police Commander Falhum Mshana confirmed the accident occurred and added that the driver of the ill-fated lorry, one Onesmo Msemwa (40) disappeared after the accident.
The police are looking for him.
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