BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ABOUT 2:30 yesterday afternoon, a routine taxi tour ended in a head-on collision with a St. Kitts Scenic Railway tour van on the eastern end of Keys, sending eight tourists to the JNF General Hospital.
According to an eye witness report, the cream and gold taxi (T1709) labelled “In God We Trust” was travelling westbound on the island’s main road when the number four Scenic Railway van (PA 3812) was speeding in the opposite direction.
The report stated that PA 3812 turned the corner travelling on the wrong side and forced the T1709 to quickly swerve left off the road. The Scenic Railway van immediately crashed head-on into the taxi shattering the windscreen and endangering the lives of the tourists and driver.
The driver of T1709, Joseph Ward of Lime Kiln Housing Development, told SKNVibes that while travelling from the Cayon direction into Keys, he saw the oncoming van and attempted to turn sharply to avoid an accident.
“I was coming from that [East] direction and when I looked I saw the Scenic railway bus coming around so fast. I tried to avoid any crash by steering off the road but he still manage to crash into me. So, you could tell how fast he was driving,” Ward said.
Ward informed that he only experienced a minor sprain in the wrist but noted his concern for his eight passengers, including a two-year-old, who had received the brunt of the injuries.
One of the tourists, who said she was visiting from the US, told this media house that she was scared when she saw the approaching vehicle and added that everyone in the taxi was injured in some way.
“All of us got pretty beaten up. My husband got a broken arm and another person is experiencing some serious chest pains, but we are all going to the hospital now. We are worried about the child though,” she added.
The driver of PA 3812, Alonzo Liburd, refused to give a comment. However, SKNVibes learned that there were no passengers in the Scenic Railway vehicle.
Police officials were on the scene of the accident within minutes but were unable to give a statement before press time.
