10 people returning from funeral killed in Kenya bus crash

At least 10 people died when the bus they were travelling in left the road and rolled several times in southern Kenya.

The passengers were on their way back to the coastal city of Mombasa after attending a funeral in the Mwatate area, Taita Taveta County, on Saturday evening.

Mwatate Police Chief Morris Okul said the driver of the bus survived and was in a critical condition in hospital.

“The survivors told us they were 34 people on board excluding children,” Mr Okul said.

The accident happened in a hilly area that is a known accident blackspot.

Mr Okul said the bus brakes failed, but the Inspector General of Police, Japhet Koome, said the driver may have been coasting in neutral when he lost control.

“There’s a tendency of long distance drivers freewheeling to save on fuel,” he said.

The mourners had travelled more than 150 kilometres (90 miles) to attend the funeral and were returning late in the evening.