The first few miles of the Northern Highway in a state of utter ruin after the floods, but the disaster of that area could hardly compare to a violent collision this afternoon near mile eight.
Jacqueline Godwin was first on the scene and she has this story.
Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
When 7News arrived on the scene one of the victims, a female passenger was being
carted away on a stretcher with what appeared to be an injury to her foot 
while
other medical teams were busy attending to other persons who had gotten hurt
in the accident.
The crash occurred at about mile seven and a half on the northern highway.
The white tour van carrying tourists from the carnival cruise ship was northbound
but as it passed between miles seven and eight it crashed into the blue Isuzu
trooper believed to be a rental vehicle that had just left the Phillip Goldson
International Airport.
It is reported that the SUV driven at the time by an American national was carrying
approximately four passengers. The man reportedly lost control of the SUV that
caused it to swerve across the left hand side of the road and into the path
of the oncoming vehicle.
Roger Espejo - Assisted Injured Passengers
"We had one gentleman who had a hip fracture and dislocated shoulder.
We had a lot of abrasions and incisions and some broken bones but I am no doctor
so I cannot really categorically speak, you know I just can speak on what I
understood from the paramedics around."
Jacqueline Godwin,
"We are receiving conflicting reports in terms of just how many people
were injured. We understand that 11 persons were involved."
Roger Espejo - Assisted Injured Passengers
"In this accident? I cannot confirm because when I arrived at the
scene the most serious ones had already been rushed off, but as you can see
the van seems to be a 15 seater van. I would assume between ten to fifteen people
can fit into that van but I cannot confirm just how many people were in the
van nor can I confirm how many people were in the SUV."
The passengers were assisted by medical teams from the nearby Belize Defence
Force Hospital and the Belize Emergency Response Team.
One of the most seriously injured is the driver of the Isuzu trooper.
Warrant Officer David Diego - Force Sgt Major, BDF
"His right hand is somewhat broken up on the top but according to
the medical people it was very good for him that he did not have an open fracture
because it would have been detrimental because they would have had to cut it
off. So what happen is that he had a close fracture not an open fracture so
they could deal with it but it was a severe fracture."
Jacqueline Godwin
"Do you know how many people were injured?
Warrant Officer David Diego - Force Sgt Major, BDF
"Well, actually, from my point of view when I came here, it is about
six people we actually helped to take off the vehicle that was carrying tourists.
Jacqueline Godwin
"So it was mostly tourists who got injured?"
Warrant Officer David Diego - Force Sgt Major, BDF
"Yes, it was mostly tourists who got injured and one good thing about
it is we do not have any fatalities."
"Some of the injuries, some of the people complain about their hips,
so probably there are some hip injuries, some are a talking about leg injuries,
knee injury and also calves. So basically it is the lower body except for one
man who had a mouth problem. He was there doing something, reading and when
the vehicles collided he actually hit his mouth on the seat that was in front
of him."
Jacqueline Godwin,
"And most of the passengers who got injured were seated to
the front of the vehicle? Yes, they were seated and some of them said that they
had on their seatbelts but not all of them."
Ladyville Police are still investigating and at this time it is still not known
what caused the driver of the SUV to lose control. The accident did cause traffic
to be backed for miles for approximately forty five minutes.
Jacqueline Godwin reporting for 7News.
Late this evening 7news contacted Ladyville police. They say at this
time they only have the name of the driver of the white van. He has been identified
as thirty three year old Lloyd Young, a driver for Angel Tours and Charter.
Police say because the driver of the SUV has been undergoing medical treatment
they have been unable to interview him.
Authorities say a total of 18 persons were injured. Thirteen from the white
tour van and five from the SUV including a pregnant woman.
Email
Print