MZIMBA, Malawi, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 Malawi soldiers died in a road accident on Thursday in the country's northern district of Mzimba en route from a training session, authorities confirmed.
The soldiers included recruits and trainers and the death toll was likely to rise as 15 others were reported to have been in a very critical condition in the region's central hospital in Mzuzu City, according to Mzimba District Hospital officials.
The accident, according to local media reports, occurred when the driver of the Malawi Defense Force failed to control an open truck with the recruits and their trainers on board.
It overturned and rested on its back, upside down, killing and severely injuring dozens of soldiers on board.
"We have closed all the emergency units to attend to this emergency and as a hospital, we are very overwhelmed by the accident," Mzimba District Health Office Spokesperson, Ellings Nyirenda, was quoted by local media.
Malawian President Peter Mutharika and First Lady Gertrude Mutharika expressed "condolences to the bereaved families and also wishing those injured speedy recovery," according to a government statement.
Malawi has in the past 10 months experienced a number of fatal accidents where scores of people lost their lives, forcing the country's traffic police to be very strict on road safety measures.
