On Saturday, at least 20 members of the Mwingi Catholic Church choir were killed when the bus they were riding in crashed into the Enziu River in Kitui County, southern Kenya.
So far, 20 dead have been recovered from the bus, and ten persons have been rescued and sent to Mwingi Level Four Hospital for emergency care.
According to Kitui County Police Commander Leah Kithei, the 51-seater bus belonged to Mwingi Junior Seminary, a Catholic Church-run private school, and was transporting choir members from Mwingi town to Nuu region to attend a wedding celebration.
Ms Kithei said that police were there to organize the rescue attempts, which were impeded by the roaring seas.
“We’re aiming to save as many individuals as possible.” “Unfortunately, we have retrieved 20 dead from the site and 10 survivors who were rescued alive and sent to Mwingi Level Four Hospital,” Ms Kithei added.
A video of the incident showed the bus getting washed away as it crossed the high river, while passengers looked on helplessly.
Screams and sobbing filled the air as courageous young men dove into the sea to save people trapped on the sinking bus.
Members of the wedding party, including a mother, her three children, and two grandchildren, were among those aboard the ill-fated bus.
The identity of those who perished could not be immediately determined, but police verified that Ms Jane Mutua, the bridegroom’s daughter, and three children were among the deceased.
The choir members were supposed to perform at a wedding to celebrate the marriage of one of the members’ parents.
