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board, rammed a stone embankment on the extreme side of the road and 28 people were injured.
“We suspect that the driver was speeding. Among the dead are three men, 10 women and three children,” he said.
Supt Tafirenyika said the deceased were taken to Nyanga District Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.
One of the bodies took time to be removed from the wreckage because the head was said to have been pierced by a metal object.
The names of the deceased could not be released as their next of kin were yet to be advised.
“We are making frantic efforts to identify the bodies. All the seriously injured passengers were transferred to Mutare Provincial Hospital because there is no medical doctor at Nyanga. Only three women are admitted at Regina Coeli,” he said.
Nyanga district administrator Mr John Makoni said they had already activated the Civil Protection Unit committee to assist relatives of the decea- sed.
“We have since sent recommendations to the relevant authorities to have the accident declared a national disaster.
“It is very sad that we continue losing lives at the same spot in our district. This accident is the third one to have claimed lives at the same spot since 1991 after the Regina Coeli disaster.
“In September 2009, six people died there when the bus they were travelling in overturned.
“Nyanga roads are well-known for curves and people are always advised to be careful when using these roads,” he said.
Mr Makoni said they had since established that the church members were on their way from Chivi in Masvingo to Nyanga North for a prayer meeting and the driver was not familiar with the terrain.
“We have gathered that the church members had travelled from Harare to Masvingo and moved to Birchenough Bridge on their prayer crusade.
“Their mission was to go to Kadzere and proceed to Mutoko before heading back to Harare. As I speak they are gathered in Nyanga North where they are charting the way forward after this disaster,” he said.
Mr Makoni thanked staff members at Regina Coeli Mission Hospital for their swift response to the disaster.
“Regina Coeli Mission Hospital staff members should be commended for a job well done because they played a very big role in saving lives. They were quick to respond to the emergency.
“I also want to thank the Mutare City Council for availing their equipment that helped to remove one of the trapped bodies,” he said.
In another accident, seven people were killed while 44 others were injured when a Botswana-bound bus overturned on Thursday night.
National police spokesperson Superintendent Andrew Phiri said the accident occurred in Mbembesi at the 102km peg along the Bulawayo-Gweru Road at about 10.30pm.
Supt Phiri said six passengers died on the spot while the seventh died on the way to United Bulawayo Hospitals the same night.
Supt Phiri said the bus was travelling from Gweru to Botswana with 52 passengers.
He said the 44, who include the driver of the bus Mr Mthokozisi Dlamini of Pumula East in Bulawayo, sustained injuries and were rushed to Mpilo Central and UBH hospitals where they are still admitted.
Supt Phiri identified the victims as Violet Jeche (age not given) of Number 4 Hard Place, Sunnyside, Bulawayo; Gift Ncube (44) whose address was not given; Gillian Mukwasi (44) of 4157 Coldstream, Chinhoyi; Memory Mwanawamambo (27); Margaret Magejo (52) (both addresses not given).
The other two could not be identified and Supt Phiri appealed for help to identify them.
Online Reporter