Bosso chief recounts horror Pathfinder accident

HIGHLANDERS chairman Peter Dube and Chicken Inn secretary Tawengwa Hara says they were lucky to escape with minor injuries from the horror accident involving luxury coach Pathfinder and a heavy duty truck on Saturday night.

The head-on collision at Lochard claimed six lives with others still critically injured, including the driver of the luxury coach.

"The driver of the coach is alive, he is in the intensive care unit at a hospital in Bulawayo," said ZRP assistant commissioner for Matabeleland North Shelton Dube.

Bosso chairman Dube said he was still trying to come to terms with what happened.

"I was chatting with our treasurer Jerry Sibanda and then all of a sudden I heard a bang and the whole bus was covered in a dark cloud," said Dube.

Dube said upon realising that there was no exit from the bus, he broke the top deck window and jumped out of the coach.

"Hara tried to dash to the front to exit. But because of impact, there was no exit point to use I then (smashed) the window and called Hara to jump to safety.

"He did so and afterwards I remember a little girl being thrown out of the top deck of the bus and I tried to catch her but I was a little bit dizzy. I really do not know what happened to that kid," said Dube.

Hara said he owes his survival to the Highlanders chairman.

"After the impact, I tried to run towards the exit but umdala lwana (Dube) pulled me back and said there was no way I could come out.

"Within moments he smashed the window with his head, I think, and jumped out," said Hara who like Dube had minor injuries.