At least 17 people killed in Kenya road crash, most of them Catholic pilgrims

At least 17 people, most of them Catholic pilgrims, have been killed in a crash on a highway to the Kenyan port of Mombasa.

The accident happened in Salama in the early hours of Saturday morning as a truck driver tried to overtake another vehicle.

"We witnessed an accident that is quite tragic," said Justus Mwanzia, a member of county assembly.

According to Mwanzia, a minivan carrying 14 pilgrims and their driver collided with the truck, killing everyone on board. Mwanzia said three people in the truck were also killed.

The pilgrims were on their way to a prayer site in Nakuru County, west of the capital Nairobi, said Martin Kivuva, archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa.

The archbishop said in a statement that he and others were “saddened with lots of grief” over the deaths.

Road accidents are a problem across Africa. In Kenya and elsewhere in the region, the accidents are often blamed on poorly maintained vehicles, excess speed and poor road conditions.

Kenya's National Transport and Safety Authority called upon all motorists to exercise extreme caution, avoid dangerous overtaking and strictly observe lane discipline. The government agency said the stretch where the crash happened was a so-called “black spot" and that recommendations to address the safety concerns had been made.

President William Ruto has offered his condolences to the families, friends, parishioners and the entire Catholic community.