A HEAD-ON collision, between a minibus and a Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Land Cruiser, yesterday claimed the lives of two men and left six other persons seriously injured.

The accident happened on the Potaro Road, 16 miles from Mahdia, where minibus driver Alvin Henry nicknamed ‘Buffy’, of Kwakwani Scheme, Berbice River and 56-year-old Evron Providence, a Ministry of Public Works mechanic, of Lot 240 Cane View Avenue, South Ruimveldt Park, Georgetown, were killed instantly.

Those who suffered injuries are Wendy Williams, 36, of Lot 133 Barima Avenue, Bel Air Park, also in the city; Ronald Thomas, 20, of Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara; Andrew Duke also known as ‘Big Duke’, Daniel Lopes, 49, a Brazilian national and Samuel Munroe (no addresses given) and Delon Gomes, 23, of Kwakwani Housing Scheme, as well.

They were all flown to the city in two aircraft and admitted to Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), in a stable condition.

The tragedy occurred around 09:45 h when BKK 5912, on route 72, was proceeding to Georgetown from Mahdia.

Reports said, about a mile away from the Tumatumari junction, the Land Cruiser, GJJ 7770, going in the opposite direction, slammed into the minibus.

According to Mr. Daniel Fraser, Regional Information Officer of Region 8 (Potaro/Siparuni), several Regional officials ran to the Mahdia District Hospital where the accident victims were initially taken for treatment.

And the Regional Chairman, in a comment, noted that drivers need to be very careful on the roads as the rainy season is on and there has been a prolonged rainfall for the past two days in Mahdia.

He also thanked Air Services Limited for braving the weather to send in the Medivac. Fraser said the Regional Chairman recognised that it took pilots of a special caliber to dare the weather conditions, especially around the mountainous areas of a region such as Region 8.