Seven people, including the driver, have been killed after a Gambian-registered commercial passenger vehicle travelling from The Gambia to Sierra Leone collided with a fuel tanker in Guinea-Conakry, the General Transport Union (GTU) has confirmed.

The crash occurred on 7 July and involved passenger vehicle KM 7387 G, which was travelling from Kanifing Municipality to Freetown via Guinea-Conakry, and a fuel tanker bearing registration number AR 7222.

According to the GTU, the vehicle was carrying 20 passengers at the time of the collision. Seven people died in the crash, while the remaining 13 sustained serious injuries and are receiving treatment in hospitals in Guinea-Conakry.

The union said two Gambian nationals -a man and a woman, were among the passengers and both survived the accident. They are currently undergoing medical treatment.

Following the incident, the GTU said it immediately began coordinating with the Gambian Consular Office in Guinea-Conakry, its counterpart transport union in Guinea, and Guinean security authorities to support the victims and their families.

The union also confirmed that a GTU member travelling through Guinea, Pa Gaye, is at the scene assisting with coordination efforts alongside Gambian consular officials and local authorities.

The GTU said it is also working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, the Ministry of Transport, and the Gambia Police Force to ensure assistance reaches those affected.

Expressing its condolences to the bereaved families, the union thanked the Gambian government and Guinean authorities for their swift response and appealed to commercial drivers to strictly observe road safety regulations, particularly on long-distance cross-border journeys.

By Adama Makasuba