A minibus carrying church members to a religious conference collided head-on with a haulage truck in central Zimbabwe, killing 27 people and injuring seven others, police said Saturday.
The crash occurred Friday evening along the Harare-Masvingo Highway near Chivhu, about 130 kilometers (81 miles) south of the capital, Harare, according to police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi.
The truck, which was registered outside Zimbabwe, was overtaking another vehicle when it collided with the minibus, police said. Both vehicles were carrying an unspecified number of passengers.
The minibus caught fire after the collision and was reduced to a charred shell. Images and video circulated by Zimbabwean media showed the wreckage scattered across the highway, with the truck coming to rest on the opposite side of the road.
Police initially reported a lower death toll before confirming that 27 people had died. Seven others were injured and taken for medical treatment, while the bodies of those killed were reportedly taken to the mortuary at Chivhu Hospital.
Nyathi confirmed the toll Saturday and said police would provide further details as investigations continued.
State broadcaster ZBC News reported that some of the victims died at the scene while others succumbed to their injuries after being taken to hospital.
Local media reported that the passengers belonged to an indigenous African Christian denomination and were traveling to a religious conference. Police did not immediately provide further details about the identity of the church group.
The crash adds to a series of deadly road accidents in Zimbabwe, where crowded minibuses, known locally as kombis, are a major form of public transportation.
Road safety remains a persistent concern in the country, with authorities frequently citing dangerous driving, vehicle overloading and poor road conditions among the factors contributing to fatal crashes. Zimbabwe's roads have suffered years of underfunding and deterioration, including widespread potholes.
In April, at least 18 people were killed when a minibus caught fire on a highway in southern Zimbabwe. Earlier that month, a woman and her five children died when their vehicle collided with a haulage truck on a highway connecting Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Authorities have attributed about 94% of road crashes in Zimbabwe to human error.
The latest crash also highlights a wider road safety crisis across Africa. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa estimates that about 300,000 people die in road crashes across the continent each year, accounting for roughly a quarter of global road deaths despite Africa having only about 3% of the world's vehicles.
