On the A2 between Eindhoven and Maastricht, a cattle truck with cows overturned in the night from Thursday to Friday near Grathem. The carriageways in both directions were close to the Het Vonderen interchange. Lanes in the direction of Eindhoven will be open again around 9.00 am.
The A2 towards Maastricht is still closed. The accident took place on the Grathem highway around 2:45 a.m. The truck overturned and landed wide on the road. The lane in the opposite direction was also closed because cows ran loose.
A total of 76 calves were transported, ten of which had to be put out of their misery on the spot, according to a spokesman for Rijkswaterstaat. Several other animals were also injured. According to the police spokesperson, a vet will determine whether they also need to be finished.
The condition of the driver of the truck with trailer, a 19-year-old man from Nijkerkerveen, is stable, according to a police spokesman. It is unknown whether that means the man was injured.
It is expected to take the rest of the morning before the highway can be fully opened. The guardrail in the central reservation needs to be repaired. The road also needs to be cleaned afterwards.
Since the road to Maastricht is still completely closed, traffic has to take traffic into account, according to Rijkswaterstaat. The advice remains to follow the diversion via the A67 and A73. A diversion has also been set up from the Galder junction. Traffic then drives via the A16, the Belgian E19, E34, E313 and E314.
The overturned truck has to be recovered with a crane.
The overturned truck has to be recovered with a crane. Photo: Rijkswaterstaat