A tragic accident in India’s Andhra Pradesh state claimed nine lives and left eleven others injured when an overloaded mango truck overturned on Sunday night.
The incident occurred in the Pullampeta area of Annamayya district, approximately 387 kilometers southwest of the state capital Amaravati.
According to local police, the fatal crash happened when the driver lost control of the vehicle. “The accident took place when the lorry lost control and turned turtle,” a police official reported. “The lorry was carrying an overload of mangoes of about 40 tonnes, with 20 workers seated on top of the load.”
Authorities confirmed that when the truck overturned, the heavy crates of mangoes crushed the workers riding atop the vehicle’s cargo. Some died instantly while others sustained serious injuries. Local residents and emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene to conduct rescue operations and transport the injured to nearby hospitals.
While police initially suspected vehicle overloading as the primary cause, the surviving driver provided a different account. He claimed he swerved to avoid a collision with an oncoming car, causing him to lose control of the heavily laden truck.
Road accidents remain alarmingly frequent in India, with common contributing factors including overloaded vehicles, poor road conditions, and reckless driving. This latest incident highlights the ongoing transportation safety crisis in the country, particularly involving overloaded commercial vehicles carrying both cargo and passengers in dangerous configurations.
