Photo: od.npu.gov.ua
A passenger minibus carrying 15 people collided with a truck on the Kyiv–Odesa highway on the morning of July 9, near the village of Odai in the Berezivka district of Odesa region.
According to National Police spokesperson Yuliia Hirdvilis, the preliminary investigation indicates that the driver of the minibus lost control of the vehicle before crashing into a MAN truck.
The Mercedes minibus was operating as a private passenger transport service. In addition to the driver, 15 passengers were on board.
Casualties
Initially, authorities reported:
- one person killed;
- five people injured.
Later, Head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration Oleh Kiper confirmed that the victim was a 15-year-old passenger.
The number of injured was later updated to 10 people, all of whom were hospitalized.
According to the latest information:
- three victims are in critical condition;
- seven others are in moderate condition.
Doctors continue to provide medical treatment to all those injured.
Recent serious road accidents
The crash is the latest in a series of fatal traffic accidents in Ukraine.
- On July 2, a train collided with a passenger minibus at a railway crossing in Kvasyliv, Rivne region, killing four people and injuring 13 others.
- On July 4, a Mercedes Sprinter minibus traveling from Odesa to Mykolaiv collided with a Nissan Murano after the SUV entered the oncoming lane. The crash claimed 12 lives, while six people were injured. The SUV driver fled the scene but was later detained and notified of suspicion.
