At least 21 people, including 20 schoolchildren and a teacher, have died after a school bus crashed on a notorious stretch of road in eastern Uganda, authorities have confirmed.
The accident occurred on Thursday evening along Chekwatit Hill in Kapchorwa District as pupils from King David Junior School were returning to Kampala following a school trip to the scenic Sipi Falls.
According to the Uganda Police Force, the Isuzu bus struck a large rock before overturning on the roadside. Preliminary reports indicate the driver may have lost control of the vehicle after experiencing a mechanical problem, although the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Emergency responders and local residents rushed to the scene, where dozens of passengers had been thrown from the vehicle. Several others were trapped inside the wreckage and had to be rescued before being transported to hospitals in the region for treatment.
Police said around 60 people were injured in the crash, with a number of adults and children reported to have sustained serious injuries.
In a statement, police confirmed that 21 fatalities had been recorded, comprising 20 pupils and one adult.
Authorities extended their condolences to the families of the victims, the staff and pupils of King David Junior School, and everyone affected by the tragedy, while also wishing those injured a full and speedy recovery.
Balaam Ateenyi Barugahara said the adult who died was Tadeo Ssekade, the founder and director of King David Junior School. Officials have not yet released the identities of the children or the bus driver.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the collision, including whether mechanical failure played a role.
Kapchorwa Resident District Commissioner Stanley Bayole praised members of the local community for their swift response, saying residents provided transport, bedding and assisted rescue teams in helping survivors.
Chekwatit Hill has long been regarded as one of Uganda’s most dangerous roads, with numerous serious and fatal crashes recorded there over the years.
The latest tragedy is among the deadliest school transport accidents in Uganda in recent years. It comes just a week after another fatal incident in Mukono District, where a school bus carrying pupils collided with a train, killing both a student and a teacher.
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