An accident along the Meru-Nairobi highway on Sunday evening has claimed up to 33 lives, as the rest of the passengers incurred serious injuries after a Mombasa-bound bus plunged into River Nithi.
Based on initial investigations, brake failure is what prompted the bus to veer off the road, making it impossible for the driver to negotiate the sharp bridge corner.
According to Tharaka Nithi County Commissioner Nobert Komora, the bus accident occurred at around 6.40 pm when the bus fell off the bridge into the river about 40 meters below.
“We are sadly announcing to the nation that this evening we have lost 33 people in a grisly Modern Coast Bus accident at the notorious Nithi River bridge along the Meru-Nairobi highway,” Komora said.
The death toll shot up from 23 yesterday evening to 33 this morning, with a number of injured still under care in the nearby hospitals, with their conditions yet to be established.
The bodies from the incident were taken to mortuaries in Chuka County Referral Hospital and PCEA Chogoria Mission Hospital where some of the injured were also rushed for medical attention.
According to an eyewitness, the bus must have been unable to brake because it was moving at a very high speed when the accident happened.
Heading down the Nithi slope which left visible bodies scattered in the water as well as on the river bank, the public, Nithi county rescue team, and police worked their way to salvage the situation.
As highlighted by Tharaka Nithi County Police Commander Donatha Chali, the bridge is a known blackspot yet drivers were still speeding despite the presence of warning signs while approaching the bridge from both sides.
Further informing on the provision of scene secureness to ensure the safety from tampering with property by public till this day when investigations are to resume.
“Police officers will remain at the scene for the whole night to ensure that no person interferes with the scattered property until the operation resumes tomorrow morning,” Chali said.
