MUTARE – At least 16 people were killed on Saturday evening in a collision between a bus and a haulage truck carrying timber near Odzi, some 50km out of Mutare on the highway to Harare.
Local MP Regai Tsunga said 14 people died on the spot and another two died upon admission at Mutare General Hospital.
The bus owned by General Bande Bus Company was overtaking the haulage truck on a stretch with continuous white lines, indicating that overtaking is prohibited.
Both vehicles were coming from Mutare.
Tsunga, the representative for Mutasa South, said the bus driver appeared to have failed to completely clear the truck on his left side during the overtake, resulting in a side-swipe.
The left side of the bus was sheared off and passengers were violently prodded or fished out by the logs from the truck.
Moments after the crash, several passengers could be seen lying dead on the back and left side of the bus, while others who escaped watched the horror scene from the side of the road.
Clothing, bags and food items from the luggage compartment lay scattered on the road after it was ripped open by the impact.
