A tragic collision between a university bus and a truck on a rain-soaked highway in Kenya has claimed the lives of 11 students from Kenyatta University and left 42 others seriously injured, according to authorities.

The accident occurred around 5:50 pm local time on Monday, near Maungu, approximately 360 kilometers (220 miles) from Nairobi, as the students were en route to Mombasa, a coastal town. Initial reports indicate that the university bus, attempting to overtake a line of vehicles in heavy rain, lost control and veered to the right side of the road. In an attempt to avoid a head-on collision, the truck swerved and struck the left side of the bus, resulting in the tragic incident.

Ten individuals lost their lives instantly, while another succumbed to injuries later at a nearby hospital. The injured, numbering 42, were promptly transported to a medical facility in the town of Voi, as reported by the Kenyan Red Cross.

This heartbreaking incident highlights the ongoing challenges with road safety in Kenya, where inadequate road conditions and frequent violations of traffic regulations contribute to a high rate of accidents. In 2023 alone, 4,324 people lost their lives, with 18,561 sustaining injuries in road accidents across the country. Although there was a slight decrease of 7.8% from the previous year, the beginning of 2024 witnessed a concerning trend, with 536 fatalities recorded between January 1 and February 11, marking a five percent increase compared to the same period in the previous year.

Among the victims of these tragedies was 24-year-old Kelvin Kiptum, the world marathon record holder, whose untimely death occurred on February 11 in a separate road accident, further emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced road safety measures in Kenya.