The survivors of yesterday’s fatal accident that happened in Awoja Bridge in Ngora district have narrated their ordeal to TNN in an interview.
The accident happened at around 2000hrs local time according to the survivors.
At least five people were confirmed dead while eight others are admitted at Soroti regional referral hospital after a Fuso truck UAN 443J transporting cattle from Kotido District veered off the Soroti – Mbale highway and plunged into Awoja swamp.
The bodies of the deceased persons have been retrieved from the scene and conveyed to Ngora Fred Carr hospital for postmortem and claiming by their loved ones
By 2230hrs, police in East Kyoga had already managed to recover bodies of the victims from the shallow water, while at least 10 carcasses of cattle remained lying in the water.
Kizza Hammed, one of the survivors who was seated in the co- driver’s seat at the time of the crash told TNN that there were 18 people onboard and out of them five died instantly and seven rushed to hospital.
Hammed attributed the cause of accident to reckless driving.
He notes that; “I pleaded the driver not to over speed because the truck we were using was old but he never took heed,” Mr Kizza said.
He noted that they coming from Kotido while heading to Kibuku, Budaka and Butembo districts where they had planned to sell the animals.
Another survivor, Waiswa Kulia said: “I don’t know how we are going to break this sad news to the families of these young colleagues who have died.”
With tears in his eyes Kulia said that its was saddening to loose close friends in an accident that would have been avoided.
Oscar Gregg Ageca the East Kyoga Police spokesperson said that, preliminary findings indicate that motor vehicle UAN 443J a FUSO Lorry was over speeding while loaded with cattle from Kotido. Adding that it eventually lost control and overturned at a bend.
According to police, the scene of the crash is a hotspot for road carnages.