A tragic accident in Namibia left 16 people dead. Two vehicles from the security services crashed head-on. This event happened 270km south of Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, near Mariental.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed deep sadness over social media, saying “no words can truly capture the depth of this loss.” He honored “the souls of our fallen officers.”
Namibia is known for having one of the highest numbers of road-related deaths in the world.
Sad News and Reactions
The crash claimed the lives of 14 officers and two civilians. Initially, the Ministry of Home Affairs reported 14 deaths, but this number rose when a police officer and a prison officer passed away in the hospital due to their injuries.
Home Affairs Minister Lucia Iipumbu extended her condolences. She thanked quick responders and medical staff at Mariental State Hospital. She also requested people not to share accident photos out of respect for those affected.
The minister shared that the crash involved 19 travelers. A police van had six on board, including five officers and one civilian, while the Namibian Correctional Service’s vehicle had 13.
Support for Victims’ Families
Namibia’s Motor Vehicle Accident Fund reached out to families affected by this tragedy. The fund, supported by a fuel levy, offers road injury victims help with health care, rehabilitation, and social support.
Rosalia Martins-Hausiku, the fund’s CEO, mentioned that they would help with funeral arrangements and medical care, as reported by talk radio station Eagle FM.
Despite having a small population of about three million, road crashes remain a grave issue in Namibia. In 2021, Namibia had 22 road deaths per 100,000 people, a stark contrast to the UK, which reported 2.3 per 100,000.
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