Bus in Kenya plunges off bridge into river, killing 34
- Bus brakes may have failed, causing it to fall into valley 40 metres below after veering of bridge in central Kenya
- The bus is the latest in a series of deadly crashes in Kenya, where 4,579 people died in road accidents in 2021
At least 34 people were killed when a bus plunged into a river at a notorious accident black spot in central Kenya, a local official said.
The accident occurred late Sunday when the bus was travelling from the town of Meru to the coastal city of Mombasa.
The bus plunged off a bridge about 40 metres (130 feet) into the Nithi River valley below.
Pictures published in local media showed the bus ripped apart after rolling down the steep slope, with reports saying wreckage and bodies were strewn in the water and on the riverbank.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) said in a statement on Twitter that 33 people had died and that it had halted the operations of the bus company involved, Modern Coast Express Ltd.
“A thorough multi-agency investigation into the crash and an evaluation of the operator’s safety operational standards is currently under way,” it added.
Later County commissioner Norbert Komora said the death toll had risen to 34.