8 people killed on the spot in deadly accident as Toyota Hiace kombi plunges into a river
8 people killed on the spot in deadly accident as Toyota Hiace kombi plunges into a river
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HWANGE – At least eight people die on the spot on Saturday morning after a white Toyota Hiace commuter omnibus veers off Deka Bridge and plunges into the Hwange River, in an incident that renews scrutiny of road safety and transport enforcement in Zimbabwe.
The vehicle is reported to be carrying 15 Roman Catholic Church congregants returning from a spiritual gathering in Makwa when it approaches the narrow bridge and crashes through barriers into the river. Witnesses describe sudden movement before the kombi disappears into the water.
Rescue teams, including divers from Hwange Colliery Company and the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), respond to the scene and find the vehicle almost completely submerged, with only the roof visible. “When I arrived at the scene, the accident had just happened,” one witness says. “The kombi was almost submerged in the river. Some bodies had already been recovered from the water.”
By midday, eight bodies are retrieved and placed on the riverbank as police work to identify the deceased. Two other passengers are feared trapped in the wreckage, which remains lodged in the riverbed. Five survivors, including the driver and three young children, are pulled from the vehicle and taken to Hwange Colliery Hospital, where several are reported to be in critical condition.
Preliminary investigations point to a suspected mechanical fault, with allegations that the kombi’s brakes fail as it descends towards the bridge, leaving the driver unable to stop. Authorities have not yet issued a final determination of the cause.
The crash again highlights safety concerns on the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls road, which travellers frequently describe as hazardous. Road users cite potholes that force sudden manoeuvres, while coal spillages from haulage trucks and dust are also blamed for creating slippery conditions, especially with light rain or morning dew. The route also passes through wildlife corridors, adding risk from sudden animal crossings.
The accident comes as Zimbabwe continues to record serious crashes at river crossings and on major highways. The report recalls an incident on 10 April 2026 in which a 52-year-old truck driver, Silas Nyengetera, dies after a Shacman truck towing two chrome-laden trailers plunges into the Ngezi River near Zvishavane. Police reports in that case indicate the driver is allegedly blinded by excessively bright, non-standard LED headlights from an oncoming vehicle, and then encounters a stationary kombi on the bridge before crashing through the railings. His body is retrieved the following day by the Police Sub Aqua Unit.
After that incident, Midlands police spokesperson Mr Emmanuel Mahoko urges motorists to take caution on the roads. The Ngezi Bridge, the report notes, has previously seen similar crashes, raising questions about the effectiveness of bridge railings in preventing vehicles from leaving the roadway.
Separate tragedies add to pressure for stronger road safety measures. On 2 April 2026, Lilian Maranda Mujuru and her five children—Nokutenda, Makanaka, Ronald Junior, Rufaro Shalom and Kayden—die in a collision involving a Toyota Corolla and a Mercedes Benz truck near Mvuma while travelling to a church conference. National road safety statistics for the 2026 Easter holiday period record 30 deaths, up from 24 in 2025, with pedestrians accounting for more than half of the fatalities, according to the same report.
Back at Deka Bridge, recovery efforts continue as the Roman Catholic community mourns the loss of congregants, and survivors begin a long recovery after the trauma of the crash. The Hwange River incident adds to calls for improved vehicle roadworthiness checks, safer bridge infrastructure and sustained enforcement on high-risk routes.
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