At least 19 people have been killed and 24 injured in northern Senegal when a bus and a truck collided, according to officials.
The accident early on Monday morning occurred near Sakal in the Louga region, Papa Ange Michel Diatta, a colonel with the national firefighting service, told AFP news agency.
The state-owned Le Soleil publication reported that the bus collided with the truck on the Number 2 national road as it swerved to avoid running over an animal. It added that the injured were taken to the regional hospital Amadou Sakhir Mbaye.
President Macky Sall sent “heartfelt condolences” to the families of those killed in the accident, adding that the incident shows “the need to strengthen road safety measures” in the West African country.
Encore un autre accident mortel sur nos routes à l’entrée de Ngeun Sarr. 19 vies humaines perdues et 24 blessés. Cela met en évidence la nécessité de renforcer les mesures de sécurité routière. Mes condoléances émues aux familles éplorées. Prompt rétablissement aux blessés.
— Macky Sall (@Macky_Sall) January 16, 2023
The accident came just eight days after Senegal was plunged into mourning following the collision of two buses in the early morning of January 8 in the central region of Kaffrine, leaving 40 dead and more than 100 injured.
The government responded by banning night buses and outlawing the import of used tyres – the suspected cause of the accident.
It also announced that the speed of vehicles transporting goods and people would be limited to 90km/h (56mph).
In October 2020, at least 16 people were killed and 15 more injured in western Senegal when a bus collided with a refrigerated truck heading towards the capital, Dakar.
