18 killed in Zimbabwe bus crash
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe. Eighteen Zimbabweans died on Monday in an accident involving a South African registered truck and a commuter omnibus, police have said. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- The commuter omnibus with 28 passengers was heading towards Musina in South Africa from the city of Masvingo while the truck was driving towards Masvingo and had three occupants.
- Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi appeared to be blaming fatigue for the accident.
Eighteen Zimbabweans died on Monday in an accident involving a South African registered truck and a commuter omnibus, police have said.
Police said 14 people died on the spot on the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway after the two vehicles crashed head-on.
One person died on admission at a Masvingo hospital while two others died on their way to the city of Bulawayo.
The commuter omnibus with 28 passengers was heading towards Musina in South Africa from the city of Masvingo while the truck was driving towards Masvingo and had three occupants.
Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi appeared to be blaming fatigue for the accident.
“Drivers should rest especially when travelling at night and always proceed when their mental faculties allow them to concentrate on movements on the roads,” he said. “Police are still conducting investigations into the road accident.”
Fatal road accidents have become a common occurrence in Zimbabwe.
The country has been struggling maintain infrastructure due to a long drawn out economic crisis that began over a decade ago. An influx of second hand Japanese vehicles after dollarization in 2009 has also been blamed for the road carnage.
