Salama crash: Autopsies set for 17 pilgrims

Wreckage of a nissan matatu that killed 17 victims of the Subukia pilgrimage at Salama on October 3, 2026. [Stephen Nzioka, Standard]

Autopsies on the bodies of 17  Catholic pilgrims killed in a grisly road crash at Mlima Kiu, Salama, along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway, are set to be conducted on Sunday as families prepare to receive their loved ones for burial.

The victims, who were travelling from Mikindani Catholic Parish in Mombasa to the National Shrine of the Holy Family in Subukia, Nakuru, were identified on Saturday, paving the way for the postmortem examinations at Sultan Hamud Hospital in Makueni County.

Hospital administrator Dr Stephen Mwangangi said relatives of the victims had already arrived at the facility ahead of the exercise.

“Once the postmortem examinations are completed, the bodies will be transported to Mombasa County,” Mwangangi said.

The pilgrims were travelling in a Toyota Hiace private van hired by Mikindani Catholic Parish for the journey to Subukia for National Prayer Day when the vehicle was involved in the fatal collision in the early hours of Saturday.

Police confirmed that all 17 occupants of the van died in the crash. The identification was conducted using a passenger manifest provided by the parish priest, Father Patrick Maingi.

Authorities also corrected earlier reports concerning the driver of a Howo truck involved in the crash. Contrary to initial reports that he had died, police said the driver survived but sustained serious injuries.

He was first taken to Sultan Hamud Hospital before being transferred to Makueni Level 6 Hospital for further treatment.

Two other passengers who had been travelling in a Toyota Noah were also injured and taken to hospital, but were later discharged.

The crash has renewed concern over safety along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa Highway, particularly at Mlima Kiu, a section identified by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) as a black spot.

NTSA dispatched a team to the scene to establish the circumstances surrounding the collision and assess the condition of the vehicles involved. The authority has previously made road safety recommendations concerning the section of the highway.

Investigations remain ongoing, with authorities expected to establish the sequence of events that led to the collision involving the vehicles.

The deaths have also drawn national attention, with President William Ruto among leaders who sent condolences to the families, friends and the Catholic community following the tragedy.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa confirmed that the deceased were among its pilgrims travelling to Subukia, turning what had been a journey of faith and prayer into a devastating loss for the families and parish community.

The tragedy comes against the backdrop of Kenya’s persistent road safety crisis. The country officially records about 4,000 road deaths annually, while the government’s road safety action plan indicates that the actual toll may be considerably higher because of underreporting.