At least 25 people have been confirmed dead and others injured after a Kenyan lorry was involved in an accident in Ngaramtoni, Arusha, Tanzania on Saturday.
According to reports, the lorry, bearing Kenyan number plates and belonging to a construction company, collided with several vehicles including a Nissan Caravan, Mercedes Benz Saloon and a Toyota Coaster among other vehicles registered in Tanzania.
The lorry also hit a vehicle which was ferrying students from the New Vision School of Arusha while the other was a public bus.
Speaking to the press after the accident, Awadhi Juma Haji, a senior Tanzanian police officer revealed that 11 of the people who lost their lives included a young girl and 7 foreign nationals.
Juma told the press at the Mount Meru Referral Hospital that the lorry's brake system failed leading to it hitting the vehicles in front.
He added that police officers had launched a manhunt for the lorry's driver who reportedly fled after the accident.
By the time of publishing this article, some of the victims were receiving treatment at the Selian Lutheran Hospital.
Eight missionaries from the Youth With a Mission (YWAM) were among those who lost their lives.
"It is with great sadness that we are confirming that 8 of our dearly loved friends and honoured missionaries have passed away as a result of the tragic traffic accident involving multiple vehicles on Saturday, February 24th, near Arusha, Tanzania.
The missionaries were on a bus travelling from training. The bus driver also passed away.
YWAM announced that fatalities reported involved foreign nationals but did not reveal the specific countries. The organisation noted it was contacting the victims' family members.
"Our hearts go out to all the families, friends, and team members affected by this heartbreaking loss," read part of a statement from the organisation.
Residents have been urged to donate funds for all the affected victims.
Following the accident Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu called upon relevant authorities to ensure vehicles are regularly inspected to avoid such accidents.
The Head of State while sending condolences to the affected families further urged road users to adhere to traffic rules.
