A PUBLIC Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) bus driver and a passenger on a PTSC bus died in a road accident on Tuesday.

The tragic accident occurred south of the Freeport intersection near Unicomer along the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway when it slammed into the rear of a flatbed truck just after 8 am.

Bus driver Mustapha Khan and passenger Roxanne Phillip, a security officer attached to SWAT, both died in the collision. Other passengers received minor injuries and were attended to by paramedics.

Preliminary reports state that the truck driver was travelling along the shoulder and pulled into the lane occupied by the PTSC bus. Khan swerved in an attempt to avoid the collision but still ended up crashing into the truck. The truck driver sustained minor injuries.

Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Eli Zakour and Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander visited the scene of the crash where they offered support to those affected and received preliminary reports from the relevant authorities and PTSC.

Condolences were also extended to families, friends, and loved ones of those affected.

Both ministers expressed their sincere gratitude to first responders and emergency services whose swift action safeguarded the well-being of other passengers on board the PTSC bus.

In a subsequent press release, the ministry urged all road users to exercise the utmost care and responsibility on the country’s road network.

“Road safety is a shared duty and every act of vigilance, including, observing speed limits, obeying traffic regulations and respecting fellow road users play a vital role in protecting lives,” the ministry stated.

The ministry also stated it remained committed to improving road safety and appealed to every stakeholder and member of the public to support the collective effort.