The scene of the accident in Mariakani, Kilifi County. COURTESY
Two Polish tourists were Wednesday killed in an accident involving their vehicle and a trailer in the Mariakani Maji Ya Chumvi area on the Mombasa highway.
Police said two other tourists, their driver and a guide were injured and rushed to hospital after the 7 am incident.
They were two couples and both men died on the spot, police said.
The two Polish women are seriously injured with one in critical condition, police added.
The couple were leaving Diani for Nairobi when the accident happened.
The driver of the lorry escaped from the scene following the head-on collision.
National Police Service spokeswoman Dr Resila Onyango confirmed the accident.
She said the accident involved a trailer and the van carrying the tourists who were headed for Nairobi direction.
She said the injured were stable in hospital.
“An investigation has been opened to establish how the accident happened,” she added.
The highway is among those regarded as dangerous due to the high number of fatal accidents it records annually.
The accident comes in the wake of revelations fatal accidents have been on the rise since January 2024 as compared to the same period last year.
Statistics provided by police show some 4,282 people killed in accidents between January and November 2024 as compared to 3,901 that were reported in the same period in 2023.
More than 10,662 people sustained serious injuries between January and November 2024 as compared to the 9,501 recorded in 2023.
Of those killed, pedestrians made up the majority so far this year with 1,637 as compared to 1,413 in 2023 while 788 passengers died between January and November 2024 as compared to 673 in 2023.
A total of 21,620 accidents were reported between January and November 2024 as compared to 20,191 in 2023 of the same period.
The National Transport and Safety Authority says the leading causes of fatal crashes included hit-and-runs, tyre bursts, and vehicles and motorcycles losing control.
Also overtaking improperly and failing to keep the proper lane resulting in head-on collisions are mentioned as causes.
