A serious road accident occurred in the village of Kharakhéna, in the commune of Bembou (Saraya department), last night around 11:35 PM, on National Route 7 (RN7). The accident resulted in two deaths and one minor injury.

According to information gathered at the scene, the accident involved a Bravo brand motorcycle tricycle, without registration, driven by 28-year-old Mamadou Saliou Diallo. The driver was carrying two passengers and was traveling from Kharakhéna to Saraya.

Upon arriving in the village, the tricycle driver reportedly attempted to avoid a Jakarta-type motorcycle that suddenly appeared from an alley. This evasive maneuver caused him to lose control of his vehicle, resulting in a head-on collision with a Mercedes semi-trailer truck, registration number AA-475-AV / AZ-4550-MD, driven by Abou S., who was coming from Sikasso and traveling in the opposite direction.

The exceptionally violent collision claimed the lives of two passengers on the tricycle. They were:

• OT, aged 16, Guinean national, gold panner, residing in Kharakhéna;

• Abdoulaye Sow, aged 22, also a Guinean national, gold panner, residing in Kharakhéna.

A woman who was on board the tricycle escaped with minor injuries.

The probable causes of the accident are linked to a lack of control and the recklessness of the drivers, according to initial findings.

The lifeless bodies of the two victims were evacuated to the Amath Dansokho Regional Hospital in Kédougou for the purposes of the autopsy, while the slightly injured person was taken to the Kharakhéna health post to receive first aid.

This new tragedy brings back to the forefront the issue of road safety on the busy roads of the Kédougou region, where the coexistence between two- or three-wheeled vehicles and heavy goods vehicles continues to cause many victims.