2 Russians figured in grim Barili accident still in hospital

This is wreckage of the sedan that fell off a cliff in Barili town, southwestern Cebu on Monday, January 8, which
claimed the life of a Russian woman and injured two other male Russians.| Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Following the road accident last January 8 that killed a Russian tourist, local officials in Barili town, southwestern Cebu planned to improve road safety there.

The municipal government announced that they will be coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7) to put up traffic signs along the curved portions of the highway in Sitio Tayong, Brgy. Guibuangan if it meant preventing another deadly accident from happening in the future.

READ: Barili accident: Driver of car that fell off cliff may have been drunk

First time an accident happened in that area

Last January 8’s grim road accident was the first time that occurred in that area, said Mayor Pablo John ‘John-John’ Garcia IV in a statement.

A red sedan fell off from the cliff while traversing the northbound lane of the highway in Barili town around 3 p.m. on January 8. The vehicle, which carried three Russian nationals, overturned before careening into a 200-foot drop into the sea.

The impact resulted in the death of one of the passengers, identified as Irina Akcehoba Aksenova.

Aksenova’s companions, Arcehob Akssenov Georgii and the driver Iurii Sergeevich Samminskii survived the mishap. But as of Tuesday evening, January 9, the two men remained in a hospital in Cebu City for their recovery.

READ: Tourist dead, 2 more injured after car falls into sea in Barili, Cebu

Barili Police probe

According to the Police Major Janus Giangan, Barili Police Station chief, during an interview on Tuesday, January 9 with CDN Digital, the Russian tourists came from Moalboal when the accident happened.

Giangan said during the interview that they had not yet talked with the driver of the vehicle because he was being treated of his injuries at the hospital.

In fact, he said both the driver and the other Russian passenger, who survived the accident, were being transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Giangan said that they were investigating two possibilities as the cause of the accident — One of them was that the driver fell asleep at the wheel the second one was because of having drank liquor, he fell asleep at the wheel.

He also mentioned the challenge of getting details from the two victims who survived because they do not speak English.

Russian Embassy contacted

In the meantime, the local government has reached out to the Embassy of Russia in the Philippines in the hopes of contacting the victims’ relatives there. They also reminded motorists to exercise extra caution, especially during long drives, and to refrain from consuming intoxicating beverages while driving.

Based on earlier reports from the police, they eyed several possible causes behind the tragedy. These included the driver allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, after they discovered three liquor bottles inside the wrecked car or possibly fell asleep on the wheel.