NAIROBI, Kenya – A bus carrying schoolchildren from a trip veered off the road in Uganda, killing 20 children and one adult, police said on Friday.

The bus from King David Junior School in the capital, Kampala, was returning from a school trip to Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa District when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle.

“The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road, struck a large stone along the roadside, and overturned,” police said in a statement on X.

The crash claimed the lives of one adult male and 20 pupils, while three adult men and several children sustained injuries. Police shared an image of a badly mangled and overturned bus. Investigations are ongoing, with several children and adults receiving treatment in hospital.

Fatal bus accidents are relatively common in Uganda. The east African country has a notorious road safety record, frequently recording bus or truck accidents along poorly maintained highways.

In October, two buses collided on a major highway, killing at least 46 people. A 2024 report said there were 4 434 fatal collisions and 5 144 deaths that year.

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