Uganda school bus crash death toll rises to 24, police say

Ugandan police said Friday night that the death toll from a school bus crash had risen to 23 children and one adult, and that all school field trips had been cancelled. The bus was returning to Kampala from a school trip to Sipi Falls in eastern Uganda on Thursday when it veered off the road. Police had earlier said the crash killed 20 junior school children and one adult. Police said three more pupils later died from their injuries while receiving medical treatment. Six of the dead had not yet been identified. Police said the driver, who was thought to have critical injuries, reportedly lost control of the vehicle before it left the road, struck a large stone and overturned. On Friday, the education ministry held an emergency meeting and announced a temporary nationwide suspension of school trips. Police said the pause was intended to allow a comprehensive investigation into recent crashes involving school children, improve safety guidelines and provide road safety training to schools and transport companies. School groups already on field trips were told to report immediately to the nearest police station. Police said officers would provide escorts where needed to help learners return safely to their schools. The crash happened near Kaserem, more than 250 kilometres from Kampala, between Kapchorwa, where Sipi Falls is located, and Mbale. Police shared an image of a badly damaged overturned bus and said an investigation was under way. Twenty-three injured people remained in Kapchorwa hospital. Police said three other vehicles involved in the same trip for children from King David Junior School in Kampala returned home safely. The source report said fatal bus accidents are relatively common in Uganda. It cited an October collision between two buses on a major highway that killed at least 46 people, and a 2024 report that recorded 4,434 fatal collisions and 5,144 deaths that year.