Miner dies in Puruni crash

One miner is dead while several others are critically injured after a bush truck toppled yesterday along the Puruni trail in Region 7 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) .

The dead miner has been identified as David Yong and he is said to be in his thirties and from the Coast. According to sources the truck was bringing out miners when the driver lost control on the precarious trail.

The accident occurred at approximately 19:30 hrs. Sources noted that it would take at least four hours to get the survivors to the Bartica Hospital. Stabroek News has learnt that the truck was climbing a hill when the driver lost control and the vehicle began rolling back down. It was then that the truck toppled killing Young and severely injuring the driver and another passenger who suffered a broken arm and a broken leg.

Another truck that was passing rescued the men and began transporting them out of the interior. The Bartica Hospital has been made aware of the incident and up to press time was preparing for the injured.

Stabroek News has learnt that the truck was overloaded.  The interior roadways are incredibly dangerous and have claimed multiple lives. In April two separate bush trucks toppled pinning five persons and killing them. In both incidents the drivers claimed mechanical failures and upon investigations the trucks were noted to be overloaded.