Death toll from Kenya's bus plunge rises to 33

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - The death toll from a bus accident in central Kenya shot up to 33, police said on Monday.

The bus on Sunday plunged 40 meters (131 feet) off a bridge into the Nithi River along the busy Meru-Nairobi highway.

The 57-seat bus lost control due to over-speeding on a steep slope, crashed into the guardrails of the bridge, and tumbled into the river, officials said.

Updating the media on the search and rescue efforts, Tharaka Nithi County commissioner Nobert Komora said 10 passengers survived the accident, but cautioned that the death toll might rise due to the severity of the injuries the survivors sustained.

The bus was heading for the coastal town of Mombasa from Meru when the accident occurred at around 6 p.m. local time.

The Nithi River bridge has been a black spot for many years, claiming many lives.