Ten people lost their lives after a fatal crash involving five vehicles occurred at Salama along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway on Monday night, April 1, 2024.

The accident which occurred at a known blackspot in the Mlima Kiu area, involved 2 trucks, an 18-seater Spanish Sacco matatu, a 14-seater Naekana Sacco shuttle, and a saloon car.

According to Mukaa Sub-County Police Commander Barnabas Ng'eno, the grisly road accident happened at around 8:30 pm on the fateful day.

"It happened that motor vehicle registration number KBC 564M Isuzu FSR was being driven from the Nairobi general direction towards the Mombasa general direction and on reaching the accident site, the driver failed to keep to his lane and also made a sudden right turn without due care resulting in a head-on collision with motor vehicle registration number KDK 259U Toyota Hiace Matatu of Spanish Sacco," the police boss said in a statement.

Four bodies were retrieved from the vehicles while five others were found trapped inside the wreckage. Police stated that the heavy rains at the time of the accident slowed down efforts by the officers to detach the wreckage.

A 2-year old child who is among the casualties succumbed to injuries after being rushed to Sultan Amud sub-county hospital. 

According to Dr Jane Mwende, the Medical Superintendent at Sultan Amud, nine more bodies were taken to the facility by the police. She further noted that 12 people were admitted with injuries whereas some were referred to Makindu Hospital.