PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has expressed deep sorrow and sent condolences to the families of the victims who lost their lives in a devastating road accident that claimed 38 lives and left at least 30 others injured in Same District, Kilimanjaro Region.

The horrific crash occurred on Saturday at around five in the evening, at the Sabasaba area, a head-on collision between a big bus and a commuter minibus, resulting in both vehicles catching fire.

The Presidential Communications Directorate, said yesterday that the Head of State conveyed condolences to Regional Commissioner Nurdin Babu, describing the incident as a national tragedy.

The big bus, T179 CWL operated by Channel One Co. collided with a Mitsubishi Rosa minibus T199 EFX belonging to Mwani Co., where initial reports suggest that the larger bus suffered a tyre burst, lost control and veered into the opposite lane, crashing into the minibus.

Both vehicles were engulfed in flames, complicating rescue efforts, with most victims burnt beyond recognition and only two women among the dead identified so far.

Authorities confirmed that DNA samples have been collected to assist in identifying the 36 victims, while 28 persons, 15 of them women, sustained injuries.

Of these, 22 have been discharged after receiving treatment and showing signs of improvement at Same District Hospital, while five men and one woman remain hospitalized.

They are receiving specialized care at the district hospital, Mawenzi Regional Referral Hospital and the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) referral hospital in Moshi municipality, officials said.

The remains of the victims have been preserved at the district hospital (five bodies) and KCMC (33 bodies) pending identification and burial arrangements. The regional authorities, along with health institutions and the police, mobilized support for the bereaved families, asking relatives to assist in the identification process.

President Samia urged drivers and transport operators to prioritize safety and comply with traffic regulations to prevent avoidable road carnage, emphasizing that loss of life through reckless driving is unacceptable, urging stronger enforcement of road traffic regulations.

A woman and her two-month-old baby miraculously survived the tragic road accident that killed 38 people. Domitilia Ezekiel, a survivor, recounted the moment she escaped with her baby.

“I thank God, we survived. There was no help nearby. I escaped through a window and threw my baby out first. My legs were trapped, and we fell out like a sack. My legs have been in pain ever since,” she said.

She observed that Same District needs to have a dedicated rescue and fire service vehicle, citing the high number of accidents in the area and poor emergency response.

RC Babu, visiting the crash site and the injured, described the incident as one of the worst accidents in the region’s history. “This is a major tragedy. So far, 37 people have been confirmed dead, and 29 are injured. It’s a great loss for the nation,” he declared.

This tragedy has once again drawn attention to the increasing number of fatal accidents on the country's highways, prompting fresh calls from civil society organizations and road safety advocates for improved vehicle inspections, better driver training and stricter law enforcement, analysts noted.