Ratu Navula Student Recalls Morning Bus Crash
The first thought that came to Osea Tuidraki’s mind was to help the primary school students after their bus was involved in an accident yesterday morning at Denarau Road in Nadi.
It is alleged that two buses crashed into one another. Divisional Police Commander West Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Lakobo Vaisewa confirmed the incident.
“While we await the full particulars, we can only confirm the incident and that there were minor injuries. Once the detailed report is received, we will release more information,” he said.
Tuidraki, 17, was the only high school student on the Nadi General Bus and the rest were primary school students.
All the children were from the same area of Aquilau in Narewa.
More than 20 students were on their way to school. Ratu Navula College Year 11 student Tuidraki reported that their bus got hit on the side by the oncoming West Bus.
“The first thing that came to my mind was the small children. Some of them were my close relatives,” he said.
“I held them up to comfort them as they were crying.
“When the bus hit the side mirror, a few pieces of glasses flew towards us.”
He said they were inside the bus when his parents along with other villagers living nearby came to their rescue.
“Around 18 of us were taken to the Nadi Hospital,” he said.
A parent, Jocelyne Maafu, whose son was also on the bus, said she called for emergency services soon after the accident happened.
“My son didn’t suffer any serious injury. I called the ambulance, fire and the Police because I was really worried about these children,” she said.
“As a medical staff, I suggested to the nurses and doctors to examine these children for any internal injury.
“All working parents of these children didn’t attend work today (yesterday) because we are worried about them.”
Most students were not able to sit for their exams which started yesterday because of the bus accident.
Medical staff from the Nadi Hospital confirmed that several school students were brought to the hospital and were discharged.
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