Three people have died while eleven others have sustained various degrees of injuries after a minibus plunged into a river in Dowa on Monday afternoon.
The accident which happened at Lumbadzi Bridge along Salima-Lilongwe road involved a motor vehicle registration number LL1066 Nissan Vannet , driven by Steve Matandika whose full particulars not yet established.
Two of those who have died are Magret Msenga, 46, of Kalulu Village in Traditional Authority Chimutu and Egifa Mnjolo, 35, of Mwenda Village in Traditional Authority Malili, all from Lilongwe while the third deceased person is yet to be identified.
Among the injured, five passengers with serious injuries were referred to Dowa District Hospital while six other passengers with minor injuries were treated at Chankhungu Health Centre as out-patients.
Dowa Police Station Publicist Inspector Gladson M’bumpha said that on the particular afternoon, the driver Steve Matandika was driving from the direction of Salima going towards Lilongwe with 14 passengers on board.
M’bumpha added that upon reaching rumble surfaces near Lumbadzi Bridge, the driver lost control of the vehicle. The minibus deviated into the river where it rested in the waters.
“Due to the impact, all the 14 passengers sustained various injuries while three female passengers were confirmed dead at Chankhungu Health Centre in Dowa District due to severe head injuries,” he explained.
The driver is currently at large and the motor vehicle has been extensively damaged.
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