Niël Terblanché
The Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs has dismissed speculations that the train involved in the Swakop River railway bridge earlier this week was transporting military helicopters.
Colonel Petrus Shilumbu, the spokesperson for the Namibian Defence Force clarified the nature of the cargo on Wednesday.
“I cannot comment on such claims. All I can confirm is that the cargo belongs to the ministry and that it reached its intended destination on Wednesday,” Shilumbu said.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday night, has prompted an investigation by TransNamib officials.
The collision caused one container to get stuck in the bridge, resulting in visible damage.
This container, confirmed as property of the defence ministry, was later offloaded and placed under armed military guard at the Swakopmund railway station.
Shilumbu criticised TransNamib for what he termed a preventable incident.
“This incident could have been avoided if proper clearance measurements were made,” he said.
According to Shilumbu, early identification of height clearance issues could have allowed the Defence Ministry to explore alternative transport methods.
TransNamib, through its spokesperson Abigail Raubenheimer, confirmed the incident and assured the public that a comprehensive investigation is underway to determine the cause and prevent future occurrences.
“We are relieved that no harm came to our personnel, the public, or the environment. Safety remains our highest priority,” Raubenheimer stated.
The damaged container and several tanker wagons aboard the train bore the brunt of the collision. Fortunately, no derailments, spills, or injuries were reported.
Structural engineers have since begun assessing the damage to the railway bridge, which Raubenheimer described as “minor.”
Raubenheimer reassured the public of TransNamib’s commitment to safety and good operational standards.
She added that a full investigation is already underway to identify the root cause of this incident and to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
