Kiryandongo/Nwoya – Police have identified Solomon Ocen as the driver of the truck that plunged into River Nile at Karuma Dam in Kiryandongo District, northern Uganda on Tuesday evening.
According to Ocen, a resident of Amac in Lira District, he was carrying one person in the vehicle which developed brake failure, plunging over the bridge into the river.
Ocen is currently at St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor undergoing treatment.
The incident happened Tuesday evening at 8:30pm when Ocen lost control of the Fuso Registration No. UAS 994Y, loaded with logs from Lira and flew over the railings, but not before Ocen could jump out.
Aswa River Regional police spokesperson Jimmy Patrick Okema confirmed the incident saying Ocen injured his head and fell unconscious. Police were later able to confirm that one person was swept away in the truck by the rapid falls.
Okema noted that according to the Aswa regional traffic police officers, combined with others from Nwoya and Kiryandongo district at the scene, the bridge developed some cracks that need immediate attention.
He, however, said police is deployed to guide traffic at the bridge to avoid causing more accidents on the busy bridge.
Just hours ago, a trailer from Kampala to Gulu knocked dead an Elephant that was crossing the road in Murchson Falls National park in Alengo village in Banda, Kiryandongo District.
The truck was carrying five people and Irene Abalo,35, resident of Kitgum district among other four unidentified people sustained injuries.
Within the last week several accidents have occurred along the Gulu-Kampala highway living dozens injured.
On Monday, Northern Youth Member of Parliament, Oscar Omony together with his family got involved in a nasty head-on collision with a vehicle that belongs to the Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA) in Minakulu, Oyam district.
The legislator and his wife Denise Atimango, driver Christopher Okot were airlifted for treatment at Kampala International Hospital in Kampala.
Okema noted that most accidents in the region are caused by reckless use for the road by drivers, over and dangerous loading, talking on phones while driving and use of vehicles under bad mechanical conditions.
