Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08OUAGADOUGOU1025
2008-11-17 15:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ouagadougou
Cable title:  

NO AMERICAN CASUALTIES IN BUS ACCIDENT

Tags:  CASC IV UV 
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P 171551Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4355
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS OUAGADOUGOU 001025 


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC IV UV
SUBJECT: NO AMERICAN CASUALTIES IN BUS ACCIDENT

UNCLAS OUAGADOUGOU 001025


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC IV UV
SUBJECT: NO AMERICAN CASUALTIES IN BUS ACCIDENT


1. SUMMARY: Sixty-six people died in a traffic accident over the
weekend in Burkina Faso. According to Burkinab authorities there
are no American victims from the accident. END SUMMARY.


2. On November 15, 2008, 66 people died when a truck and a passenger
bus collided and caught fire near the town of Boromo, 167 kilometers
west of Ouagadougou. The cause of the tragedy is still unclear. Out
of the 66 people that died in the accident, the remains of 55
individuals were unidentifiable due to severe burns. All the
victims were buried on site. However, the Gendarmerie in Boromo is
still working on the identification of victims and notification of
families. Post will remain engaged and follow the results of the
investigations.


3. The 31 survivors of the accident have been admitted to medical
centers in Boromo, Ouagadougou, and Bobo-Dioulasso. Five of the
survivors are said to be in critical condition.


4. While there is no official manifest that lists the names of the
passengers, post was informed by hospital and police officials that
there were no expatriate passengers on the bus. Newspaper reports
suggest that most of the passengers were Burkinab and Ivorian.


5. While authorities continue to investigate the cause of the
accident, eye witness accounts reported in local newspapers suggest
that the truck driver may have fallen asleep behind the wheel.
Newspapers also quote the bus driver, who survived the accident, as
saying that there were a total of 92 passengers on the bus.
However, journalists noted that the bus had 75 seats.


6. Post has sent letters of condolence to the Prime Minister and the
Minister of Transportation.

JACKSON