The death toll in the Naivasha accident has increased to 17 as three more patients have died while receiving treatment.
Pwani University has been the most affected, with ten students and staff losing their lives, while others are still fighting for their lives in different hospitals after the accident that occurred on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
Survivors of the accident recounted that they were advised to wear their safety belts moments before the bus crashed into a matatu and fell into a drainage ditch in Naivasha.
The bus, which was driving downhill, was honking and flashing before colliding with the matatu in Kayole estate on Thursday mid-day, causing both vehicles to crash by the roadside.
Also Read: Injuries Reported, Several Feared Dead as Pwani University Bus Overturns on Nairobi-Naivasha Highway
Jackline Osore, Nakuru’s Health CEC, reported that 76 patients have been treated so far, with 12 of them being transferred to different hospitals, including the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and Nakuru Provincial General Hospital (PGH) for specialized treatment.
Joyce Cheche, the Chief Officer for Disaster Management in the county, has appealed for blood donations as many of the victims lost a significant amount of blood. She described the incident as shocking, coming just a day after seven people died in Oljorai due to flash floods that swept their homes away.
One of the injured students, Evan Kipchumba, reported that the bus experienced mechanical problems after hitting one of the bumps on the highway, which led to the accident.
He also stated that the co-driver advised them to wear their safety belts before the bus gained speed and started overtaking other cars before hitting the matatu.
Kevin Momanyi, another student on the bus, said that there were 62 students on board heading to Eldoret for the national hockey games.