Death toll in Malawi-bound bus rises to 17

Victor Maphosa in Mutoko
The number of people who died following a road traffic accident involving a Malawi-bound bus, BRB Coaches, has risen to 17.

Initially, 14 people reportedly died on the spot on Tuesday, before three people reportedly died on admission at the hospital.

Following the fatal accident, the injured were rushed to Mutoko and Mudzi district hospitals.

When Zimpapers arrived at the accident scene this morning, the wreckage of the bus was still at the scene.

The accident has left many residents of Suswe in shock.

“I was one of the first people to arrive at the scene. I suspect the bus burst its front tyre because before it veered off the road, I heard a loud noise similar to that of a tyre burst,” said Mr Noah Chidyausiku, a resident from Suswe.

“In no time, I saw the bus veering off the road to the left, followed by a loud noise as it crashed, trapping people inside. I only managed to shout to others that people had perished before rushing to the scene.

“When I arrived at the scene, the dust had not yet settled, the bus was lying on its side, and passengers were crying for help. I went inside, and what I saw shocked me. Passengers were trapped under their seats. Some were already dead. I decided to pull out those who were still alive.

“More people soon joined me, but our challenge was that we did not have enough equipment or resources to assist the trapped passengers. We had an axe, but that did not help much. However, we managed to pull some of them out.”