Ghana’s police battled yesterday to control crowds flocking to the site of a plane crash in Accra, where debris remained scattered after a cargo plane that overshot the runway hit a bus and killed at least 10 people.
Rescue workers and security services immediately cordoned off the site near a stadium and military barracks after the Allied Air Boeing 727 crashed on Saturday night.
The deployment remained heavy yesterday.
Sirens blared as the police tried to contain the chaos caused by hundreds of residents trying to view the badly damaged bus, as well as the plane’s wing and tail, which had completely broken off from the body.
Ghanian President John Atta Mills visited a clinic at the airport yesterday, where some of the injured were being treated.
“I pray that all of you have survived and wish you a speedy recovery,” he said, but did not speak directly to reporters.
The crew of the flight that took off from the Nigerian economic capital survived, but at least 10 people in the bus were killed, officials said.
“Flight number DHV 111, cargo aircraft, operating from Lagos to Accra, has overshot the runway on landing on Saturday, June 2, at 7:10pm local time,” Ghana’s airport operator said in a statement yesterday.
It added that “the crew of four people on board all survived the accident” and were taken to a nearby clinic for treatment.
Ghanian Vice President John Dramani Mahama said at the airport that a thorough investigation would be carried out.
“No early conclusions should be drawn,” he said, before heading toward the scene of the accident.
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