Moments after arriving in Guyana, two Indonesian nationals died tragically in an early morning accident involving a sand truck and two private mini-buses along the Timehri Public Road. The fatal accident occurred just after 4am.
The two foreign nationals have been identified as Edy Ansyori Sukri and Ikomang Tedy Arsa Bantara Putra. They were part of a group of foreign nationals who had just arrived in Guyana to take up jobs in the oil and gas sector. Four other foreign nationals were hospitalized in a critical condition.
The driver of the sand truck that is linked to a construction company, has since been taken into custody and is likely to face causing death by dangerous driving and other charges. The driver, who is a Cuban national, was unlicensed. The sand truck that he was driving was also uninsured and had no road service license.
In a statement this morning, the Guyana Police Force explained that the truck bearing registration number GAJ 3074 was being driven along the Timehri Public Road in a southern direction when the driver swerved and slammed into the two buses that were traveling in the opposite direction just behind each other.
The impact flung some of the passengers from the buses, while others sustained multiple injuries and had to be assisted out of the mangled wreck.
The two Indonesian nationals were pronounced dead at the scene. A Guyana Defence Force medical team from the nearby Camp Stephenson base, assisted in getting the injured persons rushed to the hospital.
The Guyana Police Force said checks were made for CCTV cameras in the area, but none were found. However, investigators have taken statements from the two bus drivers and intend to speak to the other passengers who survived the smash-up. Brethalyzer tests were administered to the two bus drivers as well as the driver of the truck, but there was no trace of alcohol found in their systems.
All three drivers were taken into custody for questioning.
Senior traffic officials have raised concern again about the growing number of heavy duty truck drivers who are foreign nationals and have been found to be operating vehicles for major companies while being unlicensed.
Two weeks ago, a Chinese national was charged for causing death by dangerous driving after the truck he was driving slammed into a young motorcyclist, killing him on the spot, along the same East Bank Demerara carriageway. He was found to be unlicensed and the truck he was operating was also uninsured and had no road service license.
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