At least 11 killed in Namibia ambulance-truck crash, police probe possible wildlife link

WINDHOEK -- At least 11 people were killed in a road crash involving a Ministry of Health and Social Services patient transport bus and a truck on the B1 highway between Otjiwarongo and Okahandja in central Namibia on Friday morning.

Otjiwarongo Regional Police Commander Commissioner Philip Hidengwa confirmed that all 11 bodies were recovered from the scene, about 30 km south of Otjiwarongo.

Preliminary investigations suggest the accident occurred at around 6:00 am local time (0400 GMT) when the minibus transporting patients from Khorixas via Outjo and Otjiwarongo towards the capital city of Windhoek may have struck a kudu. The driver then lost control and veered into an oncoming truck, police said.

The 50-year-old driver of the minibus was among those killed, while the 46-year-old truck driver and his assistant survived.

Authorities said the bus caught fire upon impact, leaving the remains of the victims severely burned.

Emergency and forensic teams have been deployed from Windhoek to assist with identification and recovery operations, while investigations into the exact cause of the crash are ongoing.

The incident comes days after another fatal crash on Wednesday night, in which eight people were killed in a head-on collision between a minibus and a truck on the road between Arandis and Swakopmund in Namibia's Erongo Region.

The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund expressed concern over the recent fatalities and urged motorists to exercise caution, particularly during periods of increased travel.