By Emma Una

CALABAR—AXES and machetes were deployed yesterday to extricate the mangled bodies of nine commuters crushed by a speeding diesel truck which lost control and crashed into a Port Harcourt-bound bus at New Netim, along Calabar-Uyo highway.

Mr Ikechukwu  Lawrence Igwe, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps for Cross River State, said driver of the diesel truck caused the accident because he was over speeding and attempted to overtake  another truck on a bend and suddenly  came head-on with the bus , after losing control of the vehicle.

“From every indication, the accident was caused by the driver of the truck because he was over speeding, while trying to overtake another truck on a bend and when he came head- on with the bus, he lost control and rammed into it killing seven people and leaving seven others critically wounded,” he said.

Igwe said the bus driver made spirited effort to avoid the truck by driving into the bush, adding that the truck still followed bus and rammed into it.

He said immediately the accident happened, a former staff of the Corps called the attention of the command, while men were dispatched to the scene of the accident where seven mangled bodies  were extricated from the wrecked bus.

He seven others in a critical condition were taken to the General Hospital, Calabar, for medical attention.
Igwe said the bus  with the inscription, To and Fro, belongs to a popular transport firm, Calculux, while the owner of the  diesel truck was yet to be identified as the driver escaped into the bush after the accident.

“We have informed the police and they are already on his trail to get him arrested so that he can stand prosecution,” he said
When Vanguard visited the General Hospital where the corpses and the wounded victims were taken, a source said two more persons had died.