Government corrects the number of Portuguese injured in accident in Namibia to 20

The Government today corrected the number of Portuguese people injured in Wednesday’s accident in Namibia to 20, indicating that eight have already been discharged and 12 remain hospitalized, of which six are under special surveillance.
The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, José Cesário, told Lusa that the Portuguese who have already been discharged should soon return to Portugal. Of the remaining 12, six are under observation in an emergency care unit.

Initially, the Government had indicated that two Portuguese women died in this accident and 16 other national citizens were injured. The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities said today that these citizens have been accompanied by the person in charge of the Portuguese consultation section who supports them, particularly with communication, as some do not speak English and are unable to communicate with the health teams.

On Wednesday, the councilor for the Portuguese communities in the capital Windhoek confirmed that the accident occurred after 3pm (2pm 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.

Of the 22 Portuguese people involved, two died at the scene, and the bodies must be released after an autopsy, a procedure that is carried out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, said José Cesário.