At least 38 people have died following a devastating crash between a bus and a minibus in northern Tanzania, which left both vehicles engulfed in flames, the Tanzanian presidency confirmed on Sunday.
The fatal collision occurred on Saturday evening in the town of Sabasaba, located in the Kilimanjaro region.
According to an official statement on Sunday, June 29, the tragedy unfolded when a tyre on the bus burst, causing the driver to lose control and crash into the oncoming minibus.
“A total of 38 people died in the crash, including two women,” the presidency said. It also noted that 28 others sustained injuries in the incident.
The aftermath of the crash was especially grim, with authorities confirming that 36 of the victims’ bodies were burned beyond recognition. Six of the injured are still receiving treatment in the hospital.
The incident has once again drawn attention to Tanzania’s troubling record on road safety. Road accidents are a common occurrence in the country, often attributed to poor vehicle maintenance, reckless driving, and inadequate enforcement of traffic laws.
A World Health Organisation (WHO) report from 2018 estimated that between 13,000 and 19,000 people died in road accidents in Tanzania in 2016—a figure far higher than the official government tally of 3,256.
The government has yet to confirm if any further investigations will be launched into the cause of the latest crash.
