At Least 9 Killed and 25 Injured After Freight Train Crashes into Bus

At least nine people, including two children, were killed after a freight train slammed into a bus at a railway crossing in Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

The deadly crash happened in Triangle, a sugar-producing town in southern Zimbabwe, according to police and rail officials.

Authorities said the bus was crossing the tracks when it was struck by the freight train.

National Railways of Zimbabwe spokesperson Andrew Kanambura said the bus driver allegedly failed to stop and check for an oncoming train before driving across the railway line.

Kanambura said the driver violated railway safety rules by entering the crossing without making sure it was clear.

At least 25 other people were injured in the crash and rushed to the hospital.

Photos shared by local media showed the bus badly mangled beside the tracks, with part of its side ripped open. Twisted metal and shattered debris could be seen scattered across the ground.

The tragedy comes during a deadly stretch on Zimbabwe’s roads.

Less than a week earlier, a minibus carrying schoolchildren caught fire in central Zimbabwe, killing seven people. Last month, 10 people were killed in a crash involving a bus and a haulage truck.

Road crashes are a major problem in Zimbabwe. According to the country’s road safety agency, a traffic accident happens every 15 minutes, while an average of five people are killed and 38 others are injured each day.

Authorities say human error is responsible for 94% of road crashes in the country.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa has also warned that Africa has the world’s highest road traffic fatality rate, even though the continent accounts for only about 3% of the world’s vehicles.

Buses and other public transportation vehicles are often involved in some of the region’s deadliest crashes.