17 killed truck accident in E. Timor

17 killed truck accident in E. Timor

JAKARTA (JP): At least 17 people were killed when a truck
carrying dozens of people plunged into a ravine in the East Timor
district of Ermera yesterday afternoon.

Dozens of other passengers suffering both serious and light
injuries have been taken to the Ermera health clinic for
treatment.

As of last night, Ermera police and health officers were still
at the accident scene trying to determine the exact number of
casualties, Antara reported.

The truck was carrying people home from a pilgrimage service
on Mt. Ramelau when it plunged into a ravine in the village of
Ledeluli in the subdistrict of Letefoho.

The ravine is estimated to be about 25 meter deep.

Some locals said there had been many serious accidents along
the Ermera-Letefoho-Ainaro route because of the narrowness of the
road and the deep ravine on the left.

Tens of thousands of Catholics from East Timor and neighboring
East Nusa Tenggara climbed the mountain to gather for an annual
mass.

This year's mass was led by Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes
Belo and Baucau Bishop Basilio do Nascimento. (swe)