Maputo — At least eight people died and 32 others were injured following two violent road accidents on Friday evening, according to Mozambican authorities.
The tragedy took place in the central province of Manica and the southern province of Maputo. In Manica, the crash occurred at approximately 8:00 PM along National Road Number Six (EN6) in the Messica administrative post.
The accident involved a Toyota Quantum passenger minibus, traveling from Manica toward Chimoio, which slammed into a Sinotruk cargo truck that had broken down and was left partially parked in the traffic lane.
The minibus driver struck the rear right corner of the stationary truck with the front left side of the vehicle. While initial reports from the scene suggested that none of the minibus occupants had survived, updated figures released by the National Road Transport Institute (INATRO) confirmed six fatalities from the EN6 crash, along with eight people seriously injured, three with minor injuries, and extensive material damage.
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A preliminary investigation by a joint technical team identified excessive speed and a lack of warning signs around the broken-down truck as the primary causes of the collision.
The administrator of Manica district, Paulo Raposo, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life, saying "we deeply mourn the death of our fellow citizens and once again urge drivers to exercise extreme caution when traveling at night."
According to the Police, when contacted by AIM, a full official report detailing the ongoing investigation will be released shortly.
On the same evening, a second crash took place along the National Road Number One (EN1) in the Marracuene district, leaving two dead and 21 injured.
The incident involved a Toyota Hiace minibus, traveling toward the Cumbeza toll plaza. According to INATRO, the vehicle veered off to the right, mounted the central median strip, and struck the protective barrier of a streetlight pole before overturning in the roadway.
Two people died, including the driver, and 21 others were injured, of whom five sustained severe injuries and 16 suffered minor injuries. Preliminary assessment points out speed as the main cause of the rollover.
Across both incidents, a total of 13 passengers were left in critical condition, consisting of eight severe cases from the collision in Manica and five from the rollover in Marracuene, requiring urgent medical intervention.
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In a statement, INATRO expressed its condolences to the victims, families and issued an urgent call for drivers to adhere to road safety standards, emphasizing the legal requirement to properly mark disabled vehicles to prevent further loss of life. Technical investigations into both incidents remain underway.
(AIM)
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