A church trip ended in tragedy on Friday after a commuter omnibus carrying congregants plunged into Ruti Dam in Buhera, leaving at least nine people feared dead.
The victims were travelling from Gutu to Murambinda for a church service when the kombi entered the dam under circumstances police are still investigating.
Preliminary reports indicate that the driver had stopped on the Ruti Dam wall to load luggage before the vehicle unexpectedly began rolling. It is suspected that the kombi suffered brake failure before plunging into the water.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and said investigations were underway to establish the cause of the accident.
Related Stories
Ward 19 Councillor Taurai Matiza said local residents were among the first to respond, joining rescue efforts to recover victims from the submerged vehicle.
"The community assisted in retrieving the bodies from the dam," Matiza said, adding that the deceased were awaiting transfer to nearby mortuaries.
The tragedy has renewed concerns about safety at Ruti Dam, which has been the scene of several fatal incidents in recent weeks.
Last month, four members of the same family drowned after the canoe they were travelling in capsized while crossing the dam.
Leave Comments