Deadly accident in Mykolaiv region: death toll rises to 12, police named probable cause of the tragedy
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky reported that he heard a briefing from the Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko regarding the tragic accident that occurred in the Mykolaiv region.
According to the head of state, as of now, 12 people are known to have died. The President also stated that all necessary services are working at the accident site, including rescuers, police officers, and medical personnel.
Currently, law enforcement officers are establishing all the circumstances of the road traffic accident, as well as the identities of the deceased and injured.
The police clarified that the accident occurred on July 4 on the "Odesa – Melitopol – Novoazovsk" highway between the villages of Krasne and Nechayane. A passenger minibus Mercedes Sprinter collided with a Volvo truck.
According to preliminary information from law enforcement, the accident may have been caused by the driver of a Nissan Murano, who, according to eyewitnesses, violated traffic rules, drove into the oncoming lane, and created a dangerous situation for the minibus. After that, he left the scene.
Initially, as a result of the collision, the 49-year-old minibus driver and eight of his passengers died. Nine more injured people, including the 49-year-old truck driver and minibus passengers aged from 15 to 67, were hospitalized with injuries of varying severity.
As of 11:30, three more injured people died in the hospital. Thus, the death toll rose to 12, with six people still injured.
To identify the vehicle that may have been involved in the accident, the police launched a special operation and alerted all police crews in the region. A few hours later, on the "Blahovishchenske – Mykolaiv" highway, law enforcement stopped a Nissan Murano driven by a 45-year-old resident of another region.
Currently, law enforcement is deciding on the legal qualification of the crossover driver's actions.
Photo: State Emergency Service, police
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