FP News Top Story

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Police: At least 53 people killed in Zambia as bus crashes into semi-truck north of Lusaka.

By: Lewis Mwanangombe, The Associated Press

Posted: 02/7/2013 9:30 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 02/7/2013 11:25 AM

LUSAKA, Zambia - A bus operated by Zambia's postal service carrying passengers toward its capital Lusaka smashed into a semi-truck and another car Thursday, killing at least 53 people in one of the worst traffic crashes in the nation in recent history, officials said.

The crash happened Thursday morning near the town of Chifamba, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of Lusaka, police spokeswoman Elizabeth Kanjela said. Images carried by local media in Zambia showed rescuers climbing over the smashed-in front-end of the white bus, the remains of the orange semi-truck in pieces in front of it. Other images showed corpses laying alongside the two-lane highway that connects the capital to neighbouring Tanzania.

Kennedy Sakeni, Zambia's information minister, said at least 53 people died in the crash, while another 22 had been taken to local hospitals. A sport utility vehicle also was involved in the crash, he said.

Zambia Postal Services runs the bus routes throughout the country, carrying passengers and mail through the nation of 13 million people in southern Africa. The crash happened as the sport utility vehicle tried to pass the bus and ran head-on into the semi-truck, sending the truck into the bus' path, district commissioner Priscilla Chisha said.

Kanjela said rescuers still couldn't get into the bus to see if any other bodies remained inside, even hours after the crash. Police were continuing their investigation Thursday night. The two-lane highway where the crash happened is known for having high traffic, even during the night.

In a statement, President Michael Sata said he had sent his condolence to the families who lost loved ones in the crash.

"Allow me on behalf of my Cabinet, the First Lady and indeed on my own behalf to convey my deepest condolences to the bereaved families," Sata said. "We pray that the Lord almighty grants the bereaved families comfort and strength during this very painful period."

The crash Thursday represented one of the worst for Zambia in recent years. In April 2005, a truck packed with high school students skidded off a mountain road in northern Zambia, killing at least 38 and seriously injuring another 50.

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More FP News Top Story

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.