At least 21 people, including 20 schoolchildren, were killed after a school bus returning from an educational trip veered off the road and overturned in eastern Uganda, police said on Friday.

According to Ugandan authorities, the bus, carrying pupils from King David Junior School in the capital, Kampala, was returning from a trip to Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa District when the fatal accident occurred.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the driver lost control of the vehicle before it left the roadway.

"The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road, struck a large stone along the roadside, and overturned," police said in a statement posted on X.

The crash claimed the lives of 20 pupils and one adult male, while three adult men and several children were injured. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, where they are receiving medical treatment.

Police also released an image showing the bus severely damaged and overturned following the crash. Authorities said investigations into the cause of the accident remain ongoing.

The tragedy has once again highlighted Uganda's persistent road safety challenges. The East African nation has one of the region's poorest road safety records, with fatal bus and truck accidents occurring frequently on poorly maintained highways.

In October last year, at least 46 people were killed when two buses collided on a major highway in Uganda.

According to a 2024 road safety report, the country recorded 4,434 fatal traffic collisions resulting in 5,144 deaths, underscoring the continued risks facing motorists and passengers on Uganda's roads.

The latest disaster is expected to renew calls for stricter road safety measures, improved vehicle inspections, and upgrades to the country's transport infrastructure to prevent similar tragedies. (ILKHA)