Nine killed as bus collides with train at Zimbabwe crossing

Nine people were killed and 25 injured when a passenger bus collided with a train at a level crossing in southeastern Zimbabwe, authorities said, in the latest deadly road accident to hit the country.

The crash happened at around 7am on June 16 at a crossing in the Chiredzi area, when a National Railways of Zimbabwe train travelling from Triangle to the Lundi siding struck the bus. Seven adults and two children died at the scene, while 25 other people were taken to hospital with injuries.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the bus driver had failed to observe level-crossing regulations, officials said. The collision caused significant damage and prompted renewed concern about safety at railway crossings in the region.

In a separate incident at a crossing in the same Chiredzi district on June 26, a minibus was struck by a train, leaving five people injured. Three men and two women were taken to hospital, and no deaths were recorded in that crash.

Road accidents are a frequent cause of death in Zimbabwe, where authorities have repeatedly urged drivers to exercise caution at level crossings and on the country's highways. The incidents have renewed calls for improved safety measures and signage at rail crossings.