In brief
In a devastating head-on collision involving a police van and a prison bus near Mariental, Namibia, 14 lives were lost, comprising 11 prison service members, a police officer, and two civilians. The incident occurred on Saturday, approximately 270 km south of Windhoek. Namibia's President expressed condolences, emphasizing the nation's struggle with high road traffic fatalities. The government is providing assistance to affected families and encouraging compassion regarding sensitive images from the accident scene.
A head-on collision in Namibia involving vehicles belonging to the security services killed 14 people, including 11 members of the prison service, a police officer, and two civilians. The accident took place 270km (167 miles) south of the capital, Windhoek, outside the town of Mariental on Saturday. No words can truly capture the depth of this loss, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah wrote on social media, praising the souls of our fallen officers. Namibia has one of the highest road traffic fatality rates in the world.Home Affairs Minister Lucia Iipumbu also passed on her condolences and thanked those who attended the scene of the accident and the medical teams at Mariental State Hospital. She asked that photos from the scene not be shared. The ministry further strongly appeals to members of the public to refrain from circulating distressing and sensitive images and videos taken from the accident scene, out of respect for the deceased, the injured, and their families, she is quoted by the Namibian newspaper as saying. In total, 19 people were traveling in the two vehicles: the police van with six passengers (five officers and a civilian) and the Namibian Correctional Service bus carrying 13 individuals. President Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that three other prison officers remained critically injured. We wish them strength and a full recovery, she stated.The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund urged affected families to get in contact, offering assistance for healthcare, rehabilitation, and social support, including burial costs. The urgency of addressing road traffic safety issues in Namibia is highlighted, with a fatality rate significantly higher than many other countries.
