At Least 17 Killed in Kenyan Highway Crash
Most of the victims were Catholic pilgrims traveling to a prayer site.
Seventeen people, most of them pilgrims, died Saturday in a multi-vehicle road crash on the highway leading to Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa. The incident occurred in the Salama area after midnight when a truck driver attempted to overtake another truck, leading to a collision with several vehicles, including a van carrying the pilgrims.
The driver and 16 passengers in the van, predominantly women, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to local police. The pilgrims were en route to a prayer site in Nakuru County, west of the capital, Nairobi. Archbishop Martin Kivuva of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa expressed grief over the loss of life and urged prayers for the deceased and their families.
Road accidents are a persistent issue across Africa, frequently attributed to poorly maintained vehicles, speeding, and adverse road conditions.