Four Spanish nationals killed in road accident in Andhra Pradesh

Four Spanish Nationals and the driver of the van they were travelling were killed in a road accident on the Punganur-Madanapalle road in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.

In all thirteen men and women from Spain who are on a visit to Rural Development Trust (RDT) at Bathalapalli were in the Tempo traveller when the accident occurred around 9m at an accident prone curve on the highway.

According to Mr Rajasekhara Babu, Chittoor Superintendent of police a speeding container Truck which was on the right side of the road at the time of the collision lost control and hit the Tempo Traveler head on at the blind spot, killing three members on the spot. Two more succumbed to injuries later at the Madanapalle Government hospital.

“All the nine injured Spaniards some with broken limbs and concussion have been given first aid and were shifted to Columbia-Asia Hospital in Bengaluru,” the SP said. He added that the unfortunate incident took place at a time when the district police were making all out efforts to clear bushes and power lines at the dark spot with the help of NHAI.

The deceased were identified as Vincent Prez, Josefa Moran, Francisco Pedrosa and Nieves Lopez. The bus driver, a local resident, was yet to be identified. Police are on the lookout for the driver of the container truck. The spot where the accident occurred presented a gory look with the luggage of the visitors strewn all over the highway and the shocked foreign nationals stuck in the van. The local villagers who have high regards of the RDT close to the highway ran to help the victims and also in shifting them into the waiting ambulances.

The group who were on their way to Pondicherry has actually come to visit RDT Hospital founded by Spanish national Father Vincente Ferrer. He started the Trust in 1969 in Bathalapalli in Anantapur district to serve the poor of Anantapur, Srisailam and Kurnool areas of Rayalaseema region.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu in a statement expressed grief over the incident. He directed the district collector to get in touch with the Spanish embassy in New Delhi for obtaining details of the victims and also arranging transportation to shift the bodies to their native country.