A tragic accident in Lautoka early Sunday morning has ended a family’s hope of sending their daughter to Australia for her studies. Vani Ratudradra, who was to join her twin sister later this year, lost her life in the incident, which involved four other individuals.
The sudden loss has left her family reeling as they come to terms with the tragedy that has shattered their dreams for Vani’s future. According to police spokesperson Ana Naisoro, Vani was one of four passengers in a vehicle driven by a 24-year-old. The vehicle reportedly lost control on Queens Road near Navutu, veering off the road and crashing into a post.
Vani died at the scene, while the driver and three other passengers were taken to Lautoka Aspen Hospital with serious injuries. Vani’s brother, Sela, received a call just after 1 AM on Sunday informing him that his two sisters had been involved in an accident. Overwhelmed by the chaos at the scene, he rushed to find his sister, expressing his desperation to save her after she had only recently been discharged from the hospital following an illness.
Sela revealed that two of his sisters were in the vehicle, with Vani succumbing to her injuries while another sister remains in the Trauma Ward. The family had been returning from a 21st birthday celebration at the time. He mentioned that, following Vani’s discharge from the hospital, the family had taken extra precautions to ensure her safety by having a relative accompany her wherever she went.
A former student of Jasper Williams High School, Vani was slated to join her twin sister, who is currently studying in Australia, by the end of the year. The twins were the youngest of eight siblings, and their mother, Losalini Ratudradra, is still in shock over the loss. The three passengers, along with Vani, were also scheduled to attend a youth church service the following day.
Police have stated that investigations into the cause of the accident will continue. The national road death toll currently stands at 42, a decrease from 63 during the same period last year.