Hiritano claims one, 13 injured

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

 

A MAN is dead with 13 others nursing severe injuries at the Port Moresby General Hospital after a vehicle with 18 passengers on board ran off the road and crashed into nearby trees along the Hiritano Highway, Central, last Friday morning, The National reports.

A pregnant woman sustained spinal injuries while a six-year-old girl was badly hurt when she fell off the vehicle. They were among the 13 recovering at the hospital.

Agevairua health extension officer Don Oa said Bereina and Agevairua health centres staff were first on the scene to rescue the injured.

Ambulances from both centres immediately repatriated the severely injured to Port Moresby General Hospital.

“It was a nasty accident with people suffering from broken bones and lacerated skin, but we were prepared.

“This is nothing new to us, our medical staff are used to receiving victims in very bad conditions as a result of vehicle accidents along the highway,” Oa said.

Reports claimed that the vehicle, owned by a villager from Hisiu, was driven by the owner’s 20-year-old son who was transporting relatives to a bride price ceremony in Port Moresby.

“The police will give a clear account but, from what we heard, the cause of the accident may have been a failure on the vehicle gathering speed when climbing up a steep hill between Kaiau and Agevairua village,” Oa said.

“The accident occurred at around 9am and, thanks to the immediate action of the police highway patrol team, we were able to save many lives that morning.”

The driver is in police custody while the body of the dead person is at the hospital morgue.