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George Maponga in Masvingo

Police and villagers from Chilonga in southern Chiredzi have retrieved a vehicle suspected to belong to mobile phone company Net One that plunged into the flooded Runde River resulting in two occupants who were inside drowning.

The vehicle plunged into Runde River on Saturday after the driver lost control while trying to cross the low-lying Chilonga bridge that is currently submerged under water.

Chilonga bridge has become a death trap when Runde River is flooded with motorists risking being swept away after failing to cross over.

The bridge is the shortest link between Chiredzi town and southern Chikombedzi.

The vehicle believed to belong to Net One has been submerged under water in the river since Saturday with attempts even by the police sub-aqua unit to retrieve it proving futile.

Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa says the vehicle and its two dead occupants has finally been removed from the river.

“Police retrieved the vehicle that is suspected to belong to Net One from the water today together with two deceased occupants who were inside,”he said.

Inspector Dhewa said the retrieval exercise was aided by stakeholders and Chilonga villagers.

The bodies of the deceased were taken to Chiredzi General Hospital mortuary.

The identities of the deceased occupants of the vehicle has not yet been established.