Update: 24 Students Admitted at Soroti Hospital

24 students of Midland High School in Kaberamaido District are admitted at Soroti Hospital following an accident on Thursday. Two students identified as Susan Alwedo and Peterson Ekimu died on the spot.

The Senior Four and Six students were going to Jinja for a study tour when the bus registration number UG 1915E, which they were traveling in belonging to Busitema University- Arapai Campus, rammed into a stationary trailer, UBL 709T/UQ781C from behind. The bus was carrying 64 students.

According to records at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, 24 out of 31 students who were injured in the accident survived with broken bones.

Dr. Athanasius Ariengu, the in-charge of the emergency unit at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital says that some of the injured students have undergone operations and others were subjected to different scans to establish internal injuries.

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Information at the hospital indicates that the Director of the school, Nathan Egaru, and two teachers Hannington Enangu and Juventine Eleru, also sustained injuries. One of the teachers found at the hospital told URN that the students were visiting Masese, Nytil Textiles, and the source of the River Nile.

According to the teacher, the accident occurred when the driver of the bus tried to avoid a head-on collision with another speeding car heading to Soroti City.

“We had three vehicles hired to take our students for the study tour in Jinja. The coaster was ahead, followed by the Busitema bus and a Taxi. The driver of the bus was trying to catch up with the coaster when suddenly, another car approached. He didn’t seem to see the parked trailer that had developed a mechanical fault,” he said.

John Robert Tukei, the acting East Kyoga Regional Police Spokesman says that they are waiting for an inspection report from the traffic officers to ascertain the condition of the bus by the time of the accident. He said that the preliminary findings indicate that the driver lost control of the bus and rammed into the stationary trailer.

A statement by the Busitema University Directorate of Institutional Advancement said that the university is waiting for the police report.

“We regret to announce this incident and sympathize with the families of the deceased. A detailed report will be issued accordingly in due course,” the Press Statement signed by the Assistant Director D.I.A, Dr. Charles Muweesi reads in part.