At least 17 people killed in Kenya road crash

At least 17 people were killed in a road crash involving several vehicles on the highway from the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa to the capital, Nairobi.

The incident in the Salama area in the east of the country took place after midnight on Saturday when a truck driver failed to overtake another truck.

It caused a collision with other vehicles, including a van carrying pilgrims, according to local police.

The driver and 16 passengers in that van, most of them women, died at the scene, police said.

The pilgrims were going to a prayer site in Nakuru County, west of Nairobi, said Martin Kivuva, Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa.

Mr Kivuva said in a statement that he and others were "saddened with lots of grief" over the deaths.

"Let us pray for the repose of their souls as we pray for their families," he said.

Kenya's president William Ruto said he was "deeply saddened" by the tragic incident, which took place on National Prayer Day.

"Our heartfelt condolences go to the families, friends, parishioners and the entire Catholic community who are mourning this painful loss," Mr Ruto added.

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Kenya's National Transport and Safety Authority called upon all motorists to exercise extreme caution, saying the stretch where the crash happened was a "black spot" and that recommendations to address safety concerns had been made.

Road accidents are common in Kenya and the wider East African region, where roads are often narrow and filled with potholes.

In Nigeria, a multi-vehicle crash on Friday killed at least 20 people in the north-central state of Plateau, one of the country's road agencies said on Saturday.

The crash involved four vehicles, and preliminary findings indicate brake failure was the likely cause, the Federal Road Safety Commission said.

The incident occurred along the Hawan Kibo-Jos route, a major thoroughfare connecting Plateau to Abuja, the capital.

(c) Sky News 2026: At least 17 people killed in Kenya road crash