Tragic road accident claims 15 lives in Mombasa

Coast region police commander Rashid Yakub (in blue trousers) with some of the police officers inspecting the wreckage vehicles at the scene the accident which claimed 15 lives. The wrecked vehicles were towed to Kijipwa Police Station awaiting inspection. [Weldon Kipkemoi, Standard]

The death toll on Sunday night accident along Malindi-Kilifi Highway has risen to 15.

Nine people had died on the spot after the accident, according to the police.

The accident that happened at Shauri Moyo near Kijipwa Police Station involved a Mitsubishi lorry and a passenger service vehicle.

Police and eyewitnesses said the lorry which was headed to Malindi lost control and hit the oncoming passenger vehicle head-on killing 13 people on the spot. The passenger vehicle was from Kilifi heading to Mombasa.

Coast Region Police Commander Rashid Yakub who was at the scene told the Standard on that phone drivers of both vehicles died on the spot.

The police boss said the other five victims who were in critical condition were rushed to Kilifi Level Five Hospital for treatment.

''Nine people died on the spot after the accident, five others who are in critical condition and have been rushed to Kilifi Level Five Hospital for treatment,' 'he told The Standard on phone.

Kilifi Hospital Administrator Eddy Nzomo told The Standard the hospital received 18 victims in total.

He said 13 of them died on their way to the hospital while two died while being attended to.

The accident claimed lives of seven women and seven men, according to Nzomo who further clarified that a five-year-old boy also succumbed to injuries.

The official who confirmed that three of the victims have already been identified while the remaining 12 were yet to be identified further clarified that most of those who died had severe head injuries and broken limbs.

The police commander said investigations into the cause of the crash is still at early stages and asked the road users especially drivers to take care and be cautious to avoid fatalities.

The wreckage vehicles were towed to Kijipwa Police Station awaiting inspection.