23 killed after bus plunges into river

Nairobi: In an unfortunate incident, at least 23 people were killed after a bus travelling to a wedding plunged into the Enziu River in the eastern Kitui town.

Twenty three people drowned when a bus travelling to a wedding in central Kenya was swept off a bridge into a flooded river.

Reportedly, 12 people had been rescued, including four children. It remains unclear how many passengers were aboard the bus.

Reports added that all the passengers, were choir members of Mwingi Catholic Church and had been travelling for their male colleague’s wedding when the accident occurred in Kitui County. 

Reports further added that the driver was trying to cross fast-flowing waters passing over the bridge but the force was too strong, sweeping the bus beneath the churning currents. 

“We have this terrible, terrible accident that happened here this morning,” Kitui governor Charity Ngilu told reporters on Saturday. 

“The bodies that have already been retrieved right now are over 23. We have more bodies in the bus,” she said, adding efforts to recover the corpses would resume on Sunday morning.  

This afternoon tragedy has struck Kitui County. A bus carrying Catholic faithfuls was swept away while attempting to cross a swollen river Enziu in Nguni, Mwingi. Rescue efforts are ongoing. So far there are 17 survivors and regrettably 21 bodies have been recovered. pic.twitter.com/1VqF5U6g3z

— Charity Ngilu (@mamangilu) December 4, 2021

Officials, however, have started an investigation into the incident.