WESTERN Highlands Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Chief Superintendent, John Sagom has confirmed that eight passengers were killed in a nasty car accident along the Highlands Highway at Pabrabuk, Nebilyer district in the Western Highlands Province.
PPC Sagom said of the eight confirmed dead, two were females whilst six were male passengers.
He said they were killed when two busses, a 15-seater bus and a 25-seater bus both owned by the Southern Highlanders collided last Friday November 08, 2024 at around 2pm in the afternoon.
Mr Sagom said according to the eyewitnesses, the 15-seater bus loaded with passengers traveling to Kagua in the Southern Highlands province from Mt Hagen decided to take the lane which the 25-seater bus was traveling at the high speed to Mt Hagen from Walume.
He said the 15-seater bus which took the other land decided to return to its lane, but it was late in which the 25-seater bus was in collision with the 15-seater bus that resulted in the deaths and critical injuries.
PPC Sagom also confirmed that a brother and a sister from Kagua in the Southern Highlands province were among the eight passengers killed in this unfortunate accident. He said they (deceased) were believed to be with the passengers travelling on the 15-seater bus to Kagua.
PPC Sagom said the police personnel with the help of the villagers have retrieved the dead bodies as well as those sustained critical injuries. The police officers used welding machine and cut-opened the busses and retrieved some of the passengers who were trapped.
He said one of the bodies was retrieved late at around 7pm in the night. The police officers took the bodies, and the injured passengers to the Mt Hagen General Hospital. The children between the ages of five and eight who were critically injured were admitted at the Mt Hagen General Hospital Emergency Unit as well as.
“I warn every vehicle travelling on the road to be cautious about passengers who are getting on board. They must be careful about the way they are driving because accidents are happening one after the other.
“I also urge all the drivers to be mindful of the passengers they are carrying in those motor vehicles,” Mr Sagom said.
PPC Sagom said the Mt Hagen based police Highway patrols are conducting police investigation to identify the owners of both vehicles and to collect particulars of the deceased and the victims. He said this was also to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Mr Sagom however send sincerely condolences to the families and relatives of those who have been killed on behalf of his families and the Mt Hagen police officers.
