Lindi — LINDI: FOURTEEN people died and 26 others were injured after a passengers bus they were travelling in crashed at Mputa area in Mtama District-Lindi Region, on Sunday.

Lindi Regional Police Commander, ACP John Makuri briefing the media at a press conference here noted that the accident occurred yesterday morning after the driver of the bus owned by Baraka Classic Company failed to control it.

Elaborating, he said the bus enroute from Newala-Dar es Salaam crashed as a result of brake failure leading to the death of 12 passengers and two pedestrians on the spot.

"The incident occurred today (yesterday) at around 7 am leaving 12 dead on the spot in the bus they were travelling in and two pedestrians, who were walking along the way," he pointed out.

He added that the injured (36) were taken to Nyangao Referral Hospital for treatment, where at the same time the bodies of the dead were preserved at the hospital's mortuary.

On her part, Lindi Regional Commissioner

Ms Zainabu Telack thanked the public that turned up to help and ferry the injured and dead to the institution.

Speaking on the incident, some eyewitnesses said efforts to rush the injured to hospital and collect the bodies to the mortuary were temporarily met by a swarm of bees stinging, chasing and scaring them.

"It was so difficult for the villagers to assist as a result of a swarm of bees, which invaded the place, particularly surrounding the bus. They were stinging and chasing those who were trying to rescue the injured," said Juma Machalia.

He further said that the swarm must have been interrupted after the bus finally rested on a tree that had beehives.