12 dead in Zambian bus crash

By Francis Maingaila

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) - Twelve people were killed in a road accident in northwest Zambia on Tuesday in a head-on crash between a bus and a fuel tanker, police said.

The 26-seat passenger bus was attempting to overtake traffic when it hit the oncoming tanker on the highway between Solwezi and Chingola at 2 p.m. local time (1200GMT), police deputy spokesman Rea Hamoonga said in a statement.

Several people with critical injuries are being treated in hospital. Hamoonga said the bus driver was not licensed to operate a public service vehicle.

According to the Road Traffic and Safety Agency, accidents involving passenger transport are a major cause of death on Zambia’s roads due to poor driving standards, badly maintained roads and driver fatigue.