Staff
By BigEyeUg Team
The death toll from the tragic King David Junior School bus crash has risen to 24 after three more pupils died while receiving treatment, police have confirmed.
The pupils were among those involved in the Friday accident along the Kapchorwa–Mbale Road at Kaserem, where a school bus carrying learners returning from an educational tour to Sipi Falls overturned. The crash has become one of Uganda’s deadliest school transport disasters in recent years.
In an update released on Saturday, police said efforts to identify all victims are still ongoing, with 18 bodies already identified and six others yet to be identified.
“So far, 18 bodies have been identified, while six remain unidentified,” police said, adding that three of the unidentified bodies are currently at Kapchorwa Hospital while the other three are at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.
Police further revealed that 23 survivors remain admitted at Kapchorwa Hospital, where they are receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the crash.
Meanwhile, pupils who survived the accident and did not require hospital admission have safely returned to Kampala aboard a Gateway Bus.
Authorities also confirmed that the body of the driver of the ill-fated bus has been identified through his national identity card and driving permit. His remains are currently at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.
The accident involved an Isuzu bus, registration number UA 108BQ, belonging to King David Junior School in Ndejje, Makindye Division, Kampala. Preliminary findings indicate that the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road, hit a large roadside boulder, and overturn.
The Uganda Police Force said investigations into the exact cause of the crash are still underway.
Following the tragedy, the Ministry of Education and Sports suspended all school trips and educational excursions across the country as authorities review safety measures governing school transport. The government is also assessing additional interventions aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.
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