A total of 22 members of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) were injured on Tuesday morning when the ZIL 130 truck they were traveling in crashed in the mountainous area of the Candelaria municipality in Artemisa Province.
The vehicle, coming from Bahía Honda, lost control at kilometer 12 of the Soroa road near the Mango Bonito area, according to Artemisa Diario. The source specified that all the injured belong to different departments and units of the Ministry of the Interior in Bahía Honda, including the Special Brigade, sector chiefs of the PNR, the MININT chief, and investigators.
An impactful photo shared by a witness in the Facebook group Accidentes Buses & Camiones shows the truck crushed, apparently after overturning or rolling over on the road. The official source indicated that the Comandante Pinares General Teaching Hospital in San Cristóbal received the twenty injured, who were treated with support from the Operations and Rescue Group of the Red Cross.
The most seriously injured is a 54-year-old man with a skull fracture, reported as stable but in serious condition, and was transferred to the Calixto García Clinical-Surgical Hospital in Havana, according to Yolani Torres, the hospital's director. Two other patients, one with an exposed kneecap fracture and another with a radial fracture, underwent surgery by the Orthopedic Service at Comandante Pinares. A fourth patient suffered a finger amputation.
Additionally, two other injured individuals remain hospitalized in the Surgery service, evaluated as polytraumatized patients and are under observation. The rest of the people treated were discharged as they had minor traumas, abrasions, and wounds that required suturing in some cases.
The official source indicated that the main health officials in the municipality and province, the president of the Municipal Assembly of People's Power, heads of the Provincial MININT Delegation, the leadership of San Cristóbal, and other authorities immediately arrived at the scene after the accident.
As of the close of this report, the identities of the injured who remain hospitalized have not been disclosed.
Accidents of all kinds have been relentless on Cuban roads since the beginning of the year, following the same trend that marked 2023. Last year, 729 people lost their lives in Cuba due to traffic accidents. Authorities recorded 8,556 road accidents resulting in 5,938 injuries. Human error was responsible for 91% of these incidents, according to the authorities.
Details and Implications of the MININT Truck Accident
This section provides answers to common questions regarding the recent accident involving MININT personnel in Artemisa.
What caused the truck to lose control?
The exact cause of the truck losing control is not detailed in the report, but it occurred in a mountainous area, which could have contributed to the accident.
How many people were seriously injured?
Four individuals were seriously injured, including one with a skull fracture, two with broken bones requiring surgery, and one who suffered a finger amputation.
What measures were taken after the accident?
Health officials, the president of the Municipal Assembly, and heads of the Provincial MININT Delegation and other authorities immediately arrived at the scene to manage the situation and provide assistance.