At least 63 people have been killed after two buses smashed into each other, sparking a huge pile-up on a highway in Uganda.
The bus drivers were travelling in opposite directions and attempted to overtake other vehicles before colliding "head-on", police said. One of the buses is said to have veered across the road in a bid to dodge a crash - only to slam into another coach. Both vehicles were packed with passengers at the time.
The impact sparked a chain reaction, leaving both buses crumpled across the highway as oncoming cars skidded and flipped while trying to avoid the wreck. By the time rescue teams reached the scene in Kitaleba village, dozens of injured travellers were lying by the roadside. Police say they fear the number of casualties may increase as passengers have been left seriously injured.
The crash happened shortly after midnight, with images from the scene showing the mangled wreckage of one bus left completely destroyed in the aftermath. One image showed a car flipped onto its side, while another captured workers clearing twisted metal and debris from what was left of the vehicle.
The other vehicles left crushed in the collision were a Toyota and a Tata lorry truck, according to police. Injured passengers have been taken to hospital in the western town of Kiryandongo and officers have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
"In the process, both buses met head-on during the overtaking maneuvers," a police statement said. "As investigations continue, we strongly urge all motorists to exercise maximum caution on the roads, especially avoiding dangerous and careless overtaking, which remains one of the leading causes of crashes in the country."
Fatal road crashes are common in Uganda, where roads are often narrow. Police usually blame such accidents on speeding drivers. In August, a bus carrying mourners back home from a funeral in southwestern Kenya overturned and plunged into a ditch, killing at least 25 people and injuring several others.
In Uganda, 5,144 people were killed in road crashes in 2024. That number rose from 4,806 in 2023 and 4,534 in 2022, according to official police figures, which show a worrisome rise in the total number of those killed or injured in road crashes in recent years.
Careless overtaking and speeding accounted for 44.5% of all crashes documented in 2024, the police's latest crime report said.