Fatal Bus Crash Leaves Eight Young Footballers Dead

Eight young footballers died on Saturday after the bus they were travelling in crashed into a river, the Ghana Football Association has announced.

Twenty-eight other players, said to be from the Africa Vision Soccer Academy, were injured after the bus which was heading to Afrancho from to Offinso, veered off the road and plunged into River Offinso.

Witnesses said the bus driver lost control of the vehicle as he tried to avoid hitting an oncoming lorry.

The injured youngsters were taken to various hospitals in the Offinso Municipality, Ashanti Region.

Six young footballers aged between 12 and 16 died instantly while the others succumbed to their injuries at St. Patrick’s Hospital.

The Ghana Football Association said the players and their handlers were headed to Offinso having undergone their District Colts football registration exercise at Afrancho.

“The leadership of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), and the National Juvenile Committee (NJC) have learnt of the passing of eight juvenile football players on Saturday, September 19, 2020 at Offinso, near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region,” the GFA announced on its official website.

“The GFA wishes to express our deepest condolences to the family of the eight young footballers who passed away after the car they were travelling in, submerged.

“We are informed that the players and their handlers were headed to Offinso having undergone their District Colts football registration exercise at Afrancho.

“The GFA and the NJC have dispatched a team to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi to visit the accident victims.

“We are deeply saddened by the development and wish to express our condolences to the family of the deceased and a speedy recovery to the rest of the team who sustained various degrees of injuries during the accident.”

Football in Ghana is currently under suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic but clubs are allowed to register their players in anticipation of the new season.