Eight dead in fatal vehicle accident at Pabrabuk

Eight people are dead with more than 20 people sustaining critical injuries in a fatal accident in Western Highlands on Friday last week.

The accident occurred at Pabrabuk along the Nebilyer section of the Highlands Highway involving two PMV buses- one a 25-seater coaster bus and another a 15-seater Hiace bus.

The Mt. Hagen Highway Patrol 3 and Western Highlands Police Chief John Sagom quickly arrived at the accident scene. They confirmed that seven people were killed instantly at the site, while one person later died at the Mt. Hagen hospital, bringing the total number of fatalities to eight.

Chief Superintendent Sagom stated that a police investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the accident.

Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that a 15-seater Hiace bus traveling from Mt. Hagen to the Southern Highlands was swerving in the middle of the road to balance its weight. It was unaware of an oncoming 25-seater coaster bus that was traveling from the Southern Highlands to Mt. Hagen. This resulted in a collision between the two buses, causing both deaths and injuries to the passengers.

PPC Sagom thanked also the locals of Pabrabuk for upholding law and order and repatriating bodies and casualties to the Mt Hagen Specialist Hospital.

Sagom also said a few children around the ages of five to eight who had lost one or two of their parents are also in critical condition at the hospital and relatives must follow up with the accident and attend to them.

The Western Highlands Police Chief has issued a stern caution to PMV drivers especially to be careful and responsible when transporting people as they a dealing with people's lives.

He stressed this is the festive season and drivers of vehicle must adhere to the cautions given and drive with care and responsibility.