Seven killed, 27 critically injured in bus-truck crash at Salama on Nairobi–Mombasa Highway

At least seven people were killed, and 27 critically injured after a major road accident involving a bus, truck, two private vehicles, and a motorcycle at Salama along the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway.

Emergency responders worked through the night to rescue victims, and injured casualties rushed to Sultan Hamud Sub-County Hospital for treatment following the crash.

The crash occurred on Sunday night, triggering a large-scale rescue operation involving the Kenya Red Cross, county emergency teams, the National Police Service, and other response agencies.

“27 critically injured casualties were evacuated to Sultan Hamud Sub-County Hospital following a major road traffic incident involving a truck, a bus, two private vehicles, and a motorcycle at Salama on the Mombasa–Nairobi Highway last night,” the Kenya Red Cross said in a statement.

The humanitarian agency highlighted that emergency teams worked together to assist victims and transport the injured to the hospital for urgent medical care.

“Kenya Red Cross supported emergency response efforts alongside county emergency services, the National Police Service, and other partners,” the organisation highlighted.

The accident caused significant disruption along the busy transport corridor as rescue workers spent several hours clearing the scene and attending to victims.

According to reports from the scene, the rescue mission continued throughout the night and concluded at around 4:50 am on Monday, nearly six hours after the crash occurred at approximately 11 pm.

The lengthy operation reaffirmed the severity of the collision and the challenges faced by responders in accessing and evacuating casualties.

Witnesses and motorists travelling along the route experienced delays as emergency personnel coordinated recovery efforts and ensured injured passengers received medical attention.

The Nairobi–Mombasa Highway is one of Kenya’s most heavily used roads, serving as a critical link between the capital and the Port of Mombasa.

The route carries thousands of passenger and commercial vehicles daily and has frequently been the scene of serious accidents.

The latest tragedy is likely to renew calls for enhanced road safety measures and accelerated implementation of infrastructure projects aimed at reducing congestion and improving travel conditions along the corridor.

Plans are already underway to transform the highway through the construction of a modern expressway.

The proposed project, currently in the advanced Public-Private Partnership procurement and restructuring phase, seeks to upgrade the existing 461-kilometre A8 road into a four-lane tolled dual carriageway.

The initiative has undergone a series of regulatory reviews by the Kenya National Highways Authority and the National Treasury as authorities seek to move the project towards implementation.

Once completed, the expressway is expected to significantly improve transport efficiency by reducing travel time between Nairobi and Mombasa from more than 10 hours to approximately four and a half hours.

As investigations into the cause of the Salama crash continue, attention is once again turning to road safety challenges on one of the country's most vital transport corridors, where fatal accidents continue to claim lives despite ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure and traffic management.