At least 27 people have been killed after a minibus carrying churchgoers collided head-on with a haulage truck in central Zimbabwe.
The crash occurred at about 6:30 p.m. local time on Friday near Chivhu, approximately 140 kilometres south of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, police said on Saturday.
According to police, the foreign-registered truck was overtaking another vehicle when it collided with the minibus, which was carrying worshippers travelling to a church conference.
Both vehicles had an unknown number of occupants at the time of the crash. Seven people were injured and taken for medical attention, authorities said.
Images released by Zimbabwe’s public broadcaster, ZBC, showed the minibus severely damaged and burned, while the truck came to rest on the opposite side of the road.
The crash is the latest in a series of fatal road accidents reported in Zimbabwe, where road safety remains a major concern. Poor road conditions, including potholes, as well as unsafe driving practices have frequently been cited among factors contributing to road crashes in the country.
Police have begun investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collision.
The latest tragedy also comes months after other fatal crashes involving minibuses and haulage trucks in Zimbabwe. In April, at least 18 people were killed when a minibus caught fire on a highway in the southern part of the country.
Authorities are expected to provide further details as investigations into Friday’s crash continue.
