The death toll from the ghastly auto crash involving guests who attended a traditional wedding ceremony in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, has risen to 11.
While 10 reportedly died on the spot, the last person gave up the ghost at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia where the victims were rushed to after the accident last Sunday, at about 8 pm.
The victims numbering 35 were returning to Ukwa West after attending a traditional wedding ceremony at Ossah in Umuahia South Local Government Area when their Coaster bus had a head-on collision with an oncoming trailer fully loaded with fertilizer.
The accident happened at the new luxury bus terminal point at Ohiya, close to Abia Tower, along the Enugu –Port Hacourt expressway in Umuahai.
The truck, with registration number: KUJ 824 XB, was said to be heading to the North from Port Harcourt, while the Mini bus, a Mercedes Benz 608, marked XM 935 KJA, left Ossah in Umuahia for Obehie in Ukwa West Local Government Area also in Abia state when the two vehicles collided.
Witnesses said the truck driver who survived the crash, disappeared immediately while his colleague driving the bus also survived but collapsed into a state of shock.
A distress call was sent to men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) who quickly arrived the scene and rushed survivors to hospital while bodies of the dead were evacuated to the mortuary.
It was learnt that FRSC personnel and Policemen had to keep vigil at the scene of the accident to control traffic and prevent another crash.
Meanwhile, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who paid a sympathy visit to the survivors at FMC, has promised to write off their medical bills.
Ikpeazu, represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Sunny Nwakodo, while commiserating with families of the dead, called on the contractor handling the road rehabilitation to put enough road signs on bad spots to avert such accidents.
Head of Accidents and Emergency unit of FMC, Dr Nnamdi Ojimadu, conducted the governor round the unit.
•The accident happened close to Abia Tower (shown in photo).
