Two Portuguese women died on Wednesday in a collision between two buses 400 kilometers from the Namibian capital of Windhoek.

On Thursday, the Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, José Cesário, confirmed to Notícias ao Minuto that, in addition to the two deaths, there are 16 other Portuguese citizens who are hospitalized as a result of the same accident. Four other Portuguese, in turn, have already been discharged.

The same government representative also clarified that "everyone has insurance", so "a repatriation operation will not be necessary".

José Cesário told Notícias ao Minuto that among the main complaints of the Portuguese involved in the accident were situations of "dislocated" body parts, including shoulders. The youngest victim is 42 years old and most of the affected Portuguese are in their 70s. Most of them are women.

To the Lusa agency, the Secretary of State said that the Portuguese involved suffered "various types of injuries". Of the 16 citizens who are hospitalized, "six inspire some care, but are not at risk of life". "There are also 10 cases with minor injuries, which we hope can be discharged quickly", added the minister. José Cesário also said that "there will be a third person who will have died, but does not have Portuguese nationality".

The national tourists are from the Porto region and the travel agency through which they traveled is from Leça da Palmeira. At issue will have been a problem with the brakes of one of the buses, but the situation will now be investigated.

The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, guaranteed, on Wednesday, that "he is following the situation of the compatriots injured in a road accident in the Namibian desert".

In a note published on the official website of the Presidency, Marcelo presented his "deepest condolences" to the families of the two Portuguese women who died in the accident involving tourist buses.

[News updated at 10:29 am]

Read Also: Marcelo "follows the situation" of the Portuguese injured in Namibia (Portuguese version)