The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) yesterday dispatched a helicopter with doctors on board to airlift severely injured Rwandans involved in a fatal accident in Tanzania.

Two ambulances were also dispatched by the Emergency Ambulance Service to evacuate other patients.

A bus carrying 22 Rwandans and a Tanzanian, members of a popular Adventist choir, Ambassadors of Christ, was involved in an accident between Kahama and Shinyanga in Tanzania.

Three people; two Rwandans and a Tanzanian died on the spot

They were on their way home from Tanzania where they had gone to perform.

The dead Rwandans were identified as Philbert Manzi, Ephraim Gatare, while the Tanzanian’s only given name is Amos, Manzi also worked as a journalist with Radio Flash.

"Four sustained severe injuries and two are nursing minor injuries. They sustained fractures in the legs and arms,” Capt Eugene Ngabo , who was part of the RDF rescue team, said.

"They received first aid from Shinyanga Hospital from where we used the RDF helicopter and a medical team to bring them to King Faisal Hospital for further medical attention,” he added, saying that two had by press time, been discharged.

Eulade Bayingana, the Managing Director of Tanzania-based Matunda Express bus company was the first at the scene.

He said that he had to mobilise other Rwandans in Tanzania to help the victims reach Shinyanga Hospital.

Bayingana said the vigil will be held at the Seventh Day Church in Remera but the date is yet to be confirmed.

"One of the constitutional tasks of the RDF is participating in humanitarian activities in case of disasters.

Medical evacuation is one of the disaster management tasks carried out by the Rwanda Defence Force,” RDF spokesperson Lt Col Jill Rutaremara said yesterday.

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