Niël Terblanché
TEN people, who were on their way to a wedding at Outapi in the North, sustained various degrees of injuries after the vehicle they were travelling in from Swakopmund left the road and overturned between Omaruru and Kalkfeld.
According to the incident report provided by the Namibian Police in the Erongo Region the crash occurred at about 05:00 on Wednesday morning approximately 25 kilometres from Omaruru.
It is suspected that the axle of the trailer that was behind the pick-up truck, broke causing the driver to lose control over the vehicle. The vehicle overturned and the driver along with nine of his passengers was injured.
Two people sustained serious head injuries and two others had to be transported to the Omaruru State Hospital for further medical care.
The victims were identified as the33-year-old Filipus Sheyapo (driver), Simon Sheyapo (eight), Johannes Shepavali (34), Jesaya Erastus (23), Hipopyeni Hinako (24), Simon Hehangeko (25), Peter Haipinge (29), Helvi Haipinge (48), Immanuel Pandekeni (27) and the 21-year-old Verena Kakelo.
Sheyapo, who sustained only minor injuries, was fined N$2 000 for overloading his vehicle with people as well as for overloading the trailer.
The heavy load on the trailer caused the axle to break which in turn caused the crash.
