Sumbe — At least one person died and 36 others were injured as a result of a road accident, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, in the commune of Gangula, municipality of Sumbe, province of Cuanza-Sul.

Among those injured, there were 33 serious and three with minor injuries, aged between one and 63 years.

According to the spokesman for the Firefighters Civil Protection Service, Bento Simão, the accident occurred at around 4:30 am on the nacional road 100, Nhengo area, with a Yotong brand bus, from the passenger transport company Huambo Expresso that was the Luanda/Lubango route, resulting in the death of a young woman.

"The fire service and INEMA provided the necessary assistance and transferred the injured to the Cuanza-Sul Provincial Hospital, "17 de Setembro", where they receive medical/drug treatment", said the source.

The head of the traffic and Road Safety department of the provincial command of the National Police, Chief Superintendent Moisés Paulo, indicated excessive speed and the driver's drowsiness as the possible causes of the accident.

"The bus slid into the left lane, coming to a stop after 200 meters and colliding with a ravine," he added.

Speaking to the press, clinical director of the General Hospital of Cuanza-Sul, Farias Lucas, said that there were 55 patients who were admitted, some transported by private individuals, INEMA and the Fire Service, including 37 adults and 18 children, with serious and moderate injuries.

He highlighted that two injured people were taken to the operating room. Representatives of the passenger transport company Huambo Express declined to be interviewed. SN/LC/ALH/DOJ