Eight students of the Bolgatanga Catholic Church Drama Troupe died last Saturday evening when a Nissan pick-up on which they were travelling was involved in an accident on the Bolgatanga-Navrongo road.

Twelve other students who sustained injuries are on admission at the Bolgatanga General Hospital, while others have been treated and discharged.

The deceased have been identified as Irene Borizina, a student of Bolgatanga Girls Secondary School, Felicity Gampie of Bolgatanga Secondary School, Rosaline Adimazoya, Rosemond Aganah and Esther Afia, all of Bawku Secondary School, and Moses Amoah of Bolgatanga Technical Institute.

The rest are Rose Afelbil of Saint Francis Secondary School, Jirapa, Mark Asante of Saint John's Junior Secondary School, Bolgatanga.

The students were on their way to Saint John Bosco's College in Navrongo to participate in a congress held by the Charismatic Movement of the church when the accident occurred.

Mr. Jerome Adintoghe, a student of the University of Ghana, Legon, who was also on the vehicle, told newsmen at the Bolgatanga Hospital that the driver was overtaking a Hyundai tipper truck when he lost control of the vehicle.

He said the vehicle, which was carrying 28 passengers, then skidded off the road, throwing the passengers onto the road.

The Hyundai truck, which was following closely behind, then ran over some of the students killing seven on the spot. The other student died later at the Bolgatanga General Hospital.

The driver of the pick-up survived the accident but could not be immediately reached at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the police are investigating the accident.