AWEIL – A truck transporting construction materials overturned on Wednesday afternoon in Aweil South County in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, leaving two people dead and seven others injured, local authorities said.
The accident occurred along the road between Wath-Muok Payam and Majak-Goi village after the vehicle departed Malek-Alek, the county headquarters. The truck, commonly used to ferry timber, poles, and bamboo for local construction, was reportedly hired by two traders for transporting bamboo materials.
Simon Lual Buuk, the Information Director in the office of the Aweil South County Commissioner, described the incident as “shocking,” attributing the crash to overloading and possible loss of control by the driver.
“What happened on Wednesday afternoon is something very shocking,” Buuk said. “A truck hired by two local traders, Maror Deng and Deng Thel, overturned between Wath-Muok and Majak-Goi after it was heavily loaded with bamboo (locally known as looth) from Malek-Alek market.”
He said the vehicle overturned before reaching Majak-Goi, killing two young men at the scene. The deceased were identified as 28-year-old Arop Achuil Mawien and 27-year-old Wol Ayat Wol, who had reportedly arranged the transport of the bamboo from Aweil Centre County, where the materials are widely sourced.
Seven other passengers sustained injuries in the crash, with at least three reported to be in critical condition and currently receiving treatment at Aweil Civil Hospital.
Buuk added that the driver, identified as Kuot Kuot and believed to be the owner of the truck, fled the scene immediately after the accident but later turned himself in at a nearby police station.
Local authorities who visited the scene said preliminary findings suggest the truck veered off the road, which may have contributed to the driver losing control. However, traffic police are expected to conduct a full investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Road accidents involving overloaded vehicles are common in parts of South Sudan, where poor road conditions and limited enforcement of transport regulations continue to pose serious safety risks.
