In brief
In the early hours of Wednesday, a tragic multi-vehicle collision on the Kampala-Gulu Highway in Uganda left 63 dead and many others injured. Initial reports indicate that two buses collided while attempting to overtake a lorry and a car, resulting in a chain reaction of accidents. Emergency services are currently treating the injured, and police have launched an investigation, urging motorists to avoid dangerous overtaking maneuvers which are a significant cause of road accidents in the country.
Sixty-three people have died after several vehicles crashed on a highway in Uganda, police said on Wednesday.
Two buses travelling in opposite directions met head on while trying to overtake two other vehicles – a lorry and a car – on the Kampala-Gulu Highway at 00:15 local time (21:15 GMT), according to the Uganda Police Force.
One of the buses swerved in an attempt to avoid a crash, but in the process caused a head on and side collision that led to a chain reaction in which other vehicles lost control and overturned.
As well as the fatalities, passengers of the vehicles involved and several others were injured, police said. An investigation has been launched.
The injured have been taken to hospital in the western town of Kiryandongo.
Following the crash on the road – which connects the capital Kampala in the south to the northern city of Gulu – police urged motorists to avoid dangerous and careless overtaking. It said this remains one of the leading causes of crashes in the country.
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