Online Reporter
Fairness Moyana in Hwange
AT least 10 people are feared dead after a commuter omnibus carrying pilgrims plunged into the Deka River while attempting to cross a bridge near Hwange this morning.
The commuter omnibus, which was reportedly carrying 15 passengers from Makwa to Hwange, is believed to have been transporting congregants returning from a Roman Catholic Church event when the tragedy occurred.
Witnesses said the vehicle lost control in the middle of the Deka Bridge before veering off and plunging into the river, where it became almost completely submerged.
Emergency rescue teams from Hwange Colliery Company, Zimbabwe Power Company, a subsidiary of ZESA Holdings, and the Hwange Local Board rushed to the scene and immediately began rescue operations.
One eyewitness told The Chronicle that the accident had occurred moments before his arrival.
“When I arrived at the scene, the accident had just happened. The kombi was almost submerged in the river. Some bodies had already been recovered from the water,” said the witness.
By the time of publication, reports from the scene indicated that about eight bodies had been retrieved from the river, while two more victims were believed to still be trapped inside the submerged vehicle.
Five survivors, including three children and the driver, were rescued and rushed to Hwange Colliery Hospital for treatment. Some of the injured were reportedly in critical condition.
Preliminary reports suggest the driver may have lost control after the vehicle’s brakes allegedly failed while crossing the bridge.
Police had not yet officially confirmed the accident by the time of publication, although rescue efforts were continuing late into the morning.
The tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the Hwange community, with anxious relatives and residents gathering near the accident scene as emergency personnel worked to recover bodies and search for possible survivors.
