The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Sunday News Reporter
SIX people drowned in Gweru River when a Toyota Hilux D4D they were traveling in was swept away by a flooded river while they were trying to cross.
Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the incident which occurred at around 6 AM at Gweru River bridge along Gweru-Matobo Road near Montrose High Density Suburb.
Insp Mahoko said the six people were going to a mine while pulling a compressor when they tried to cross a flooded Gweru River with water overflowing the bridge.
He said the driver of the vehicle tried to speed past the flooded bridge and the vehicle was overpowered by the river velocity resulting in the vehicle being swept away.
When the Sunday News crew got to the scene Police Subaqua Unit was still trying to retrieve the bodies of the accident victims while a rescue team from Josiah Tungamirai Airbase was working to retrieve the submerged vehicle.
“I can confirm that six people are feared dead after the vehicle they were traveling in was swept away by a flooded Gweru River while trying to pass through a brigde along Gweru-Matobo Road about 6 km outside Gweru City. The incident occurred around 6 AM and by afternoon the bodies were yet to be retrieved. The police Sub-aqua Unit has been called to search for the people,” he said.
