VILLAGERS BURY 3 SONS
Villagers of Naivakacau Village in Tailevu say they were lucky to have escaped serious injuries and even death after the bus they were travelling in tumbled along Kiuva Road in Tailevu on New Year’s Day.
About 67 villagers were returning from a church picnic at the Naselai picnic spot when the accident took place. Traumatised villager, Timoci Naululevu said the driver was speeding while transporting them back to the village. Mr Naululevu said despite several requests by the passengers to slow down, the driver kept speeding.
“The bus was filled to its capacity, all seats were occupied, and people stood right from the back until the door in front and majority of the passengers were children,” he said.
“I was sitting right in front and when I noticed how the driver was driving, I asked him to slow down or stop the bus, but he kept speeding.
“He lost control of the bus and next thing we know the bus veered off the road and tumbled.”
He said they were lucky that the bus had not crashed into the electricity post a few metres from where they tumbled. “If it crashed into the post, we could have died that day,” he said.
“We all wanted to just enjoy ourselves, but it turned out to be a nightmare. “Some of us were still in our wet clothes when the incident happened and for those that were seriously injured their change had to be taken to the hospital.
“Some had minor wounds and cuts and they have been treated and discharged from the Nausori Hospital.
“We have four villagers remaining at the CWM Hospital and this includes a woman who was four-months pregnant. They are in stable condition.” According to Police, the 48-year-old driver of the bus was in custody and investigations on the matter continue.