Three people badly injured in accident

A MINI BUS smashed and rolled more than 100 metres, leaving three people with serious injuries in Vila Central Hospital (VCH) this week,  said a senior traffic officer.

The officer said  the Suzuki mini bus, with five men on board, crashed and rolled several times before ending upside down only metres from the river's edge near Rentapao Bridge, which isa notorious spot for accidents.

He said the accident happened when the white mini bus ran off the right side of the road while travelling some kilometres south west of Port Vila.

The officer said the mini bus ran off the road and hit the drainage ditch before starting to roll.
Police are investigating whether speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.

The injured were rushed to VCH by a service bus minutes after the accident .

“There was blood all over the truck, chickens and rice were everywhere with some other items,” said an eyewitness.
“The back seat passengers were rescued from the back door because the truck doesn't have any side door."

Police said the destroyed mini bus was a delivery vehicle belonging to Vila Distribution and was carrying unemployed people at that time.

Vila Distribution manager Claire Foot told The Independent that an employee loaned the company truck to the people who were in it when the accident happened.

Mrs Foot said that employee no longer worked for the company.

“Now that  former employee has made a very big mistake of letting down the company with a very negative image and I am not supporting that at all,” she said.

She said the former employee will pay for the damages.


The officer who has spent more than 18 years serving in traffic section said people have to be very careful while driving especially over the Christmas period.

“We don't want to see innocent people hit by drunken drivers,” he said.
“Traffic officers need everybody's help especially the drivers”.

He said the traffic section is appealing to parents and vehicles owners not to lend their trucks to their relatives purposely for drinking.

“The number of accidents is rising and will rocket in the days to come,'' he said.
“People who are driving under the influence of alcohol put the lives of every people and animals in danger, that is why the road safety is everybody's business”.
“Most of the accidents in the capital today are caused under the influence of alcohol,” he said.

He said the traffic section had recorded four accidents - three involving driving under the influence of alcohol and one for careless driving in the past week.