The young Scorpions of the Gambia have attained a monumental feat by beating their arch rivals – Senegal under-20 football team right in their own territory to clinch the WAFU title but this euphoric moment has etched an agonising memory for a group of fans and their families back home, who suffered a car crash while celebrating the victory.
The Gambian team arrived to a heroic welcome on Tuesday evening of December 1st as thousands lined the streets to cheer the boys.
The car accident occurred on the same date around Old Cape Point in Bakau, resulting to the death of person and nine injured.
In an interview with Bakary Sanneh, Senior Red Cross volunteer and head of the Operations for the Under-20 home coming celebrations, he narrated that the two cars involved were trying to pass over a narrow bridge at the same time when they collided resulting to the somersaulting of the other; hence the fatal accident.
“Out of the 10 casualties, we were able to rescue the nine and later this morning we received a call that the 10th person was found dead in the water,” he stated. He said when they returned to the scene for the dead body, they had found the police on the ground, who took the dead body to the EFSTH in Banjul.
Mr Sanneh went on to reveal that the injuries are severe and the victims ranged in age from 3 to 25 years and that it includes a 21-year-old female and the deceased is a child of three years old. “Accident of such magnitude is very scary but thank God we were able to quickly intervene and effect a rescue,” he added.
The Red Cross volunteer admonished youths to revisit the manner in which they celebrate at times; referencing sitting on top of the vehicles and driving in speed as dangerous behavior.
On their operation, Mr Sanneh said they had dispensed two ambulances for the jubilations.
