Seventeen people, most of them Catholic pilgrims, died in a multi-vehicle crash on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway in Kenya. The incident occurred after midnight in the Salama area.
According to police, a truck driver made an unsuccessful attempt to overtake another truck. A collision with several vehicles followed, including a minibus carrying pilgrims. The driver of the minibus and 16 of the passengers died on the spot, most of them women.
The pilgrims were traveling to a place of worship in Nakuru county, west of Nairobi. This was announced by Martin Kivuwa, archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa. In a statement, he described the incident as a great loss and called: “Let us pray for the repose of their souls and their families“.
Dangerous section near Salama
The section where the accident occurred has been identified by the Kenya National Transport and Safety Agency as particularly dangerous due to frequent road accidents. The agency said recommendations have already been made to improve safety in the area.
At least 20 people have died in a multi-vehicle accident in Nigeria's Plateau state. The incident occurred on the Havana Kibo-Jos road, a major artery between the state and the capital, Abuja.
Four vehicles were involved in the collision. According to preliminary data from the Federal Highway Safety Commission, the most likely cause is a failure in the brake system.
Accidents in Kenya, Nigeria and other African countries are often associated with poor road conditions, insufficient enforcement, excessive speed and poorly maintained vehicles.
Sources: BTA