Drame routier : Quatre morts et de nombreux blessés sur l'axe Zoukougbeu-Guessabo – Le récit glaçant des survivants
A horrific accident struck the Zoukougbeu-Guessabo road on the night of Tuesday, November 18, 2025, claiming four lives and injuring twenty-seven others. The tragedy occurred around 2:00 a.m. when a bus belonging to the Citadine company, traveling between Abidjan and Guiglo, collided head-on with a tractor loaded with sawn timber. The impact sent both vehicles plunging into a ravine, transforming the scene into utter chaos.
The official report states four deaths and 27 injuries, including three serious cases that required urgent transfer to the Regional Hospital Center (CHR) of Daloa . The other victims are being treated at the Zoukougbeu General Hospital.
According to initial reports, the accident occurred shortly after the village of Zitta, and involved a dangerous overtaking maneuver.
The force of the impact was such that the bus and tractor were thrown to the bottom of the ravine. Even worse, the tractor's load of sawn timber spilled out, crushing part of the public transport vehicle.
Seriously injured and trapped in the wreckage of his vehicle for nearly two hours, the bus driver, Y. Keita (72 years old) , was rescued and treated at the Zoukougbeu hospital. Despite his condition, this seasoned professional gave a moving account.
“I’ve been driving for this company for 27 years, and this is the first time I’ve had an accident. [...] I saw a tractor parked with its engine running. As I approached, it started up abruptly, without checking if a vehicle was coming. When I tried to overtake it, a large truck came straight at me. I violently collided with the tractor, and we both went into the ravine.”
He confirmed the heavy toll of the collision, indicating that his apprentice, the tractor's apprentice, and a passenger died instantly. "Without the firefighters, the police, and the gendarmerie, I wouldn't be here," he said, gratefully.
At Zoukougbeu General Hospital, the shocked survivors describe an apocalyptic scene: a deafening noise, darkness, screams, and blood.
Gnahé G. Mathurin , a passenger from Duékoué, recalls the fateful moment: “We had just passed Zoukougbeu. I heard a deafening noise. Before I even understood what was happening, the bus was already in the ditch. The rafters being transported by the tractor pierced the bus. We were trapped on top of each other.” He added that he still feels severe pain and thought he was going to die.
The rescue teams – military firefighters, police and gendarmerie – arrived on the scene around 2 a.m. They discovered injured people moaning in the dim light, some trapped under pieces of wood or scattered in the vegetation.
The Major of the Zoukougbeu General Hospital praised the coordination of the rescue efforts, confirming the admission of 24 injured people and the transfer of the three most critical cases to the Daloa Regional Hospital.
Currently, the four deceased victims have not yet been formally identified, as the lack of identification on the bodies is complicating the process. Only one relative, Mr. Sidibé, has come forward to attempt to identify a body.
An investigation has been launched by the authorities to determine the exact causes of this tragedy. Beyond the dangerous overtaking maneuver mentioned in initial witness statements, this accident reignites the crucial debate on road safety in Ivory Coast, particularly highlighting the nighttime traffic of timber transport vehicles, which are often poorly lit or marked.
Increased security measures on this busy road could be announced soon. In the meantime, the families of the victims and the survivors are trying to overcome the pain and trauma of a night that will forever be etched in their memories.
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