The bus driver, involved in the fatal accident that killed a 13-year-old girl, has been remanded for seven days.
The tragic accident took place on Tuesday night, when a bus of the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) collided into a motorcycle near the bus terminal in Hulhumalé. A 51-year-old woman was operating the vehicle, while the young girl was in the passenger seat.
The older woman did not sustain any serious injuries.
While police had revealed that the driver, 54, had fled the scene and was stopped shortly after, MTCC has said that he had not fled the scene but that he was unaware of a collision taking place.
Further defending the driver, who has been with company since 2015, MTCC’s CEO Hassan Shah has told media outlets that the passengers had not felt anything and that there were no damages on the bus.
The CEO added that MTCC will fully cooperate in the police’s investigation into the accident.
Police have also made an appeal to the public, asking for any eyewitnesses to come forward.
The accident was reported at around 10:40pm on Tuesday, and the 13-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival at Tree Top Hospital.