Thirteen people killed, 45 injured in Ivory Coast road accident
A devastating road accident in northern Ivory Coast has claimed the lives of 13 people and left 45 others injured, according to rescuers and local media. The accident occurred on Friday evening when a tanker truck collided with a bus on the highway between Bouake and Korhogo, two major cities in the region.
The tragedy unfolded when a freight truck parked without indicators narrowed the road’s width, causing the bus carrying passengers to collide with the petrol-filled tanker truck on the opposite lane. The vehicles crashed around 2300 GMT, and the ensuing fire left 13 bodies charred by the flames, according to Police Secours, a platform monitoring deadly accidents in the country.
The Ivorian Press Agency (AIP) confirmed the toll, which included 19 injured children rushed to hospitals in the nearby cities of Katiola and Niakara. The accident is the latest in a series of deadly crashes in the Ivory Coast, where poor road conditions and reckless driving are common.
In 2023, the country introduced a point-based driver’s licence system, which grants each driver a total of 12 points that can be gradually taken away depending on the violation. Additionally, authorities have set up cameras on the country’s main roads to fine offenders.
Sadly, road accidents are a frequent occurrence in the Ivory Coast, with between 1,000 and 1,500 people killed every year, according to the transport ministry. This latest tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for improved road safety measures to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
