Driver drowns after truck plunges off Hawain Bridge
A truck driver has died after drowning when he became trapped inside the cabin of a truck that plunged off a bridge outside Wewak on Friday.
The fatal accident happened at the deteriorating Hawain Bridge, where a Hino truck carrying 32 drums of fuel for a civil works company fell into the river while crossing.
East Sepik Provincial Police Commander, Christopher Tamari, confirmed the bridge timbers collapsed under the weight of the truck, causing it to plunge into the water.
The driver was unable to escape from the cabin and drowned at the scene. Other crew members travelling in the truck managed to get out and were taken to East Sepik Provincial Hospital for treatment. The driver’s body has since been taken to the morgue.
A frustrated Superintendent Tamari said the incident could have been prevented if work on a new bridge had not been delayed.
“This accident should never have happened. The delay in building the new bridge has put lives at risk,” he said.
Police have launched an investigation to determine the full circumstances surrounding the accident.
