35 students injured after school bus overturns in Fort Portal
Captions: The wreckage of the school bus that overturned in Fort Portal and left at at least 35 students injured on March 16, 2022. PHOTO/ ALEX ASHABA
What you need to know:
The Rwenzori West Region Police spokesperson, Mr Vincent Twesige, said the bus overturned at Kitarasa along Fort Portal-Bundibugyo road, North Division Fort Portal city as the students travelled from a football match at Kichwamba technical college playground
At least five students of Fort Portal Secondary School in Fort Portal City are in critical condition after a bus they were travelling in last evening overturned.
At least 30 of their colleagues are admitted with minor injuries.
The Rwenzori West Region Police spokesperson, Mr Vincent Twesige, said the bus overturned at Kitarasa along Fort Portal-Bundibugyo road, North Division Fort Portal city as the students travelled from a football match at Kichwamba technical college playground.
According to police, the five students in critical condition sustained broken limbs and serious head injuries.
“Many others were also injured and admitted in the hospital but they are steadily improving. The driver lost control and the bus overturned. He’s still at large,” he said.
One of the students who was in the bus that was hired from St Maria Gorreti Girls SS also in Fort Portal, said the bus had over 30 occupants.
One of the students being taken to the theatre at Fort Portal regional referral hospital for surgery. PHOTO/ ALEX ASHABA
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The school head teacher, Mr Regan Katerrega, in a statement said a total of 35 students sustained injuries. He identified three of those in critical condition as Kasiime Asumart (S.3), William Mutalya (S.5) and Grace Kunihira.
Related crashes
Several bus accidents have been reported across the country in the last one week.
On March 14, a driver and a conductor died on the spot after a bus belonging to Baby Coach collided with a truck loaded with tomatoes in Luwero District along Kampala-Gulu highway.
On the same day, scores were injured after one of the buses owned by Link Bus Company Services collided with a TX Land Cruiser at Bamusuta along Kampala-Gulu Highway.
Survivors said the bus driver was trying to overtake another vehicle when it collided with an oncoming land cruiser.
The evening before, a 43-year-old man died after a Gulu-bound bus owned by Zawadi Bus Company knocked him.
Francis Otim, a resident of Kal village, Pawel Langeta Parish, Opara Sub-county in Amuru District was riding a motorcycle when the bus lost control and knocked him at Payibi village, in Pabbo Town Council in Amuru District, eye witnesses said.
