ANTANANARIVO, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-three people were killed in a traffic accident in Ankazobe, 70 kilometers northwest of Madagascar's capital Antananarivo, Minister of Transport Benjamina Ramarcel said on Tuesday.
The minister, who rushed to the spot, said that the government will deploy all the necessary resources to extract other bodies still remaining at the bus.
Pastor Saholy, organizer of the trip and eyewitness of the accident, said the accident happened on Monday around midnight.
"We were 140 people onboard of a big bus. We are members of an association of young Christians and we were on road to attend a pilgrimage in Mahajanga (560 kilometers northwest of Antananarivo) on Wednesday, when the drama happened," said Saholy.
According to the list of passengers released by the organizers, the victims include a six-month-old baby to an adult of 67 years old.
The injured were sent to a nearby hospital in Ankazobe while others were evacuated to Antananarivo. The driver is said to be still alive.
Visiting the injured at HJRA hospital, Madagascar's President Hery Rajaonarimampianina, said that the government will take in charge of all hospital fees as well as the burying of the bodies.
Accompanying the president, Prime Minister Mahafaly Solonandrasana said that those who are found responsible of this accident will be put in jail.
Saholy said that the bus had a technical problem 20 kilometers after its departure.
A mechanic who prepared the bus told local media said that the bus may be sabotaged because it should not be having any technical problem.
Preliminary investigation by the ministry of transport shows that the bus, which can transport about 76 people, carried 140 people and luggage.
The central office of the FJKM church, which organized the pilgrimage in Mahajanga, has launched a call for fraternal union from its Christians to give money, medicines and blood to the victims and help the victims' families.
