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1st Ld: Zimbabwe bus crash kills 25

Xinhua, January 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

At least 25 people were killed Sunday in a crash between two public buses on a major highway near Zimbabwean capital Harare, state media and sources reported.

It is the deadliest road accident in Zimbabwe since 2009.

The two buses, one from the government-run The Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) and the other from Unifreight Africa Limited, collided on the Harare-Nyamanpanda highway about 35 kilometers from Harare. The ZUPCO bus was severely damaged and reduced to complete wreckage, according to eye witnesses.

Twenty four people died on spot while at least one died on the way to hospital, the government-run Herald newspaper said on its website. Police say they are still investigating and will issue a statement soon.

Deadly road accidents often occur in Zimbabwe due to poor road conditions, speeding, and the proliferation of poorly-maintained vehicles. The last deadly road accident of this scale was recorded in 2009 when a bus burst a tyre and fell into a river, killing 30 people. Endi