Horrific crash claims six

Six people died in a head-on collision near the Jakkalsputz turnoff between Swakopmund and Henties Bay on Monday. A Ford Ranger bakkie and a Toyota FJ Cruiser crashed head-on. The impact of the crash caused the bakkie to capsize and the Cruiser caught fire. Each of the vehicles involved in the crash was carrying four people, said Deputy Commissioner Andreas Nelumbu. “Some of the bodies trapped in the Cruiser were burned beyond recognition,” he said. Commissioner Ottilie Kashuupulwa released the names of the accident victims late yesterday afternoon. Three Namibians died in one of the cars. They were Dina Pretorius, 30, from Gobabis, Charlen Schoombe, 24, from Windhoek, and J.C Horn. The driver, Jandre Horn, was airlifted to Windhoek in a critical condition. In the other car, three German tourists were killed. They were medical doctors Marcus Walter Helmut Joschko, 48, and his wife, Stephanie Dorothea Schemuch-Joschko, 49, and their 19-year-old daughter Alexandra Marlene Joschko. Antonia Klara Joschko, 16, survived the accident and was treated for minor injuries at the Welwitschia Hospital in Walvis Bay. She has been discharged and will return to Germany this week. LifeLink Emergency Rescue Services Director Brian Louw did not want to speculate on the cause of the accident. He confirmed that it was a head-on collision and said that the behaviour of Namibian drivers is unbelievable. “Road users need to change their attitude and calm down when driving. Poor attitudes are claiming lives on our roads. The number of youngsters on quad bikes without proper safety gear is another worrisome factor,” he said. The death toll on Namibian roads recorded between November 22 and December 28 stood at 31. According to the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund, 851 people were injured in 433 accidents during this period. Most of the accidents were recorded in the Khomas Region (156) followed by the Oshana Region (58) and the Erongo Region (55). The MVA Fund, in conjunction with LifeLink Emergency Rescue Services, ensured that four ambulances are strategically positioned at high-risk spots throughout the festive season. WALVIS BAY OTIS FINCK