NZEGA CRASH UPDATE: Five bodies yet to be identified

TABORA: Five out of 18 bodies of the people perished in a Saturday’s road accident in Nzega Township, Tabora are yet to be identified by relatives.

This was said by Tabora Regional Commissioner Ms Batilda Burhani on Tuesday when she visited survivors who were still getting medical attention at Nzega Town Hospital and Nkinga referral hospitals.

However 13 bodies have so far been identified and collected by their relatives for burial.

“The government is still searching for the relatives of the remaining bodies,” Ambassador Burhani said when she visited Nzega Town hospital on Tuesday.

She said that the bodies are preserved at the hospital’s morgue while the government here continues to search for their relatives to ensure that they are handled for buried activities to take place.

Giving updates on injured victims, Dr Burhani explained that 41 out of 60 have been released from hospitals, while 19 others are still receiving medication and their health condition is improving.

“The government is paying their medical bills, we are happy that they are doing well,” she said and added that they are being treated in Nzega Town Hospital and Nkinga referral hospitals respectively.

Dr Burhan hailed police officers, medical personnel and the wananchi who worked tirelessly day and night to save lives at the accident scene.

It should be noted that, at around 5am on October 21, 2023, Uchama Ward, Nzega District, a Passenger Bus, Alpha Company with registration number T 612 CQD and an fuel truck owned by GBP company with registration number T.526 AEB collided and caused 18 deaths and 60 injuries.

According to a senior officer of the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA), Mr. Nelson Mmari, among the passengers who boarded the ill-fated bus, only 49 had electronic tickets which made them easily recognized.

He called for travelers in the country to demand electronic tickets whenever they board public transportation, a move which would help authorities control overloading.

According to LATRA, electronic tickets make it easier to identify victims in case of shortcomings like accidents, deaths or illnesses.