Written By |
At least 46 people have been confirmed dead and several others injured following a fatal road crash
Search
Kiryandongo
At least 46 people have been confirmed dead and several others injured following a fatal road crash that occurred early Wednesday morning at Kitaleba Village, near Asili Farm, along the Kampala–Gulu Highway.
The tragic accident happened at around 12:15 a.m. and involved four motor vehicles — an Isuzu bus (Nile Star Coaches) registration number UBF 614X, a Toyota Surf (CGO 5132AB 07), a Tata lorry (UBK 647C), and another Isuzu bus (Planet Company) registration number UAM 045V.
Two buses had a head on collision
According to preliminary police investigations, the driver of the Nile Star bus (UBF 614X), which was travelling from Kampala towards Gulu, reportedly attempted to overtake the Tata lorry (UBK 647C) at Kitaleba Village.
At the same time, the Planet Company bus (UAM 045V), heading in the opposite direction from Gulu towards Kampala, was also overtaking the Toyota Surf (CGO 5132AB 07). During these simultaneous manoeuvres, the two buses collided head-on. One of the drivers tried to swerve to avoid impact, but this led to a chain reaction involving the other vehicles, which overturned several times.
As a result, 63 people died on the spot, while several others sustained serious injuries. The victims included passengers from all the vehicles involved.
Police responded swiftly and transported the injured to Kiryandongo Hospital and other nearby medical facilities for emergency treatment. The bodies of the deceased were taken to the Kiryandongo Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination and identification.
Toyota Surf (CGO 5132AB 07)
In a statement, SP Michael Kananura, the PRO for the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, confirmed the incident and cautioned motorists against reckless and dangerous overtaking, which remains one of the leading causes of fatal crashes in the country.
“We strongly urge all motorists to exercise maximum caution on the roads, especially avoiding dangerous overtaking,” said SP Kananura. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and wish a quick recovery to those injured.”
Police investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.
Torch Media Africa
