Seven people have been confirmed dead and 18 others injured after a violent road crash at Komenda Asamasa on the Cape Coast to Takoradi highway on Monday evening.
The accident happened around 7:25 pm and involved a Sprinter bus travelling from Komenda towards Takoradi and a heavy duty Man Diesel truck coming from Takoradi towards Cape Coast.
Fire officers from the Komenda Fire Station arrived shortly after the crash and found the bus badly damaged and off the road in a nearby bush.
Six passengers were trapped inside the vehicle and had to be carefully pulled out by rescue teams.
All six were rushed to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival.
A seventh victim, a woman who had been taken to the hospital earlier by bystanders, also died while receiving treatment.
Among the six people rescued by fire officers were three women, one of them pregnant, a baby, and three men.
The loss has left families and residents in shock, as night fell on what is usually a busy stretch of the highway.
Eighteen other passengers who suffered various injuries were rescued before the arrival of the fire service and are currently receiving treatment at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.
Eyewitnesses told authorities that the truck lost control while overtaking another vehicle and crashed head on into the oncoming bus.
After the rescue operation, fire officers cleared debris from the road to restore traffic flow and prevent further danger to motorists.
The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the mortuary for preservation and autopsy as investigations into the crash continue.
