At least 17 people, mostly pilgrims, killed in Kenya road crash
At least 17 people, most of them Catholic pilgrims, were killed in a multi-vehicle crash on a highway to Mombasa after a truck driver attempted to overtake another vehicle.
The crash occurred in the Salama area, about 90 kilometres southeast of Nairobi, after midnight on Saturday.
Police said the accident happened when a truck driver tried and failed to overtake another truck, causing a collision with a van carrying pilgrims.
Kenyan media reported the pilgrims were travelling in a 14-seater minibus, and the van’s driver and 16 passengers, most of them women, died at the scene.
The crash occurred when a truck driver tried and failed to overtake another truck; that caused a collision with vehicles including a van carrying pilgrims, police said.
Investigation and broader context
Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) launched an investigation into the collision and dispatched investigators to establish the full circumstances.
The NTSA noted that the stretch of road is a known "black spot" and that recommendations have been made to address safety concerns.
Road accidents are a problem across Africa, often blamed on poorly maintained vehicles, excess speed and poor road conditions.
Kenya recorded 5,009 road traffic deaths last year, while 2,150 deaths were reported in the first six months of 2026, according to local media citing NTSA numbers.
