Marcelo monitors the situation of Portuguese people involved in an accident in Namibia

In a statement released by the Presidency on Wednesday night, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa offered “heartfelt condolences, in this time of mourning”, to the families of the fatal victims.

The head of state also said that he hopes for the “quick recovery” of the Portuguese people injured in the accident.

The advisor to the Portuguese communities in the capital Windhoek confirmed to Lusa that the accident occurred after 3:00 pm (2:00 pm in Lisbon), in the Kuiseb Valley, on the way to the largest sand dunes of Sossus Vley in the Namib Desert.

The accident involved two buses, which were carrying 40 tourists, with at least 22 Portuguese tourists in one of the vehicles, said Manuel Coelho.

“There was an accident between two buses and apparently a third vehicle in a place where there is no internet network, the information is precarious”, said the counselor.

“A bus was carrying 22 Portuguese citizens, two of whom died on the spot”, added Manuel Coelho.

“A third person died on the way to the hospital in Walvis Bay, the nearest city, but at this moment we do not know the nationality of the latter”, declared the councilor.

Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities José Cesário had previously told Lusa that there were people of various nationalities involved in the accident and that the group of Portuguese tourists, from the north of the country, traveled through a travel agency.