Luxury Rovos Rail train from South Africa to Zimbabwe collides with freight train near Gwanda
A luxury Rovos Rail passenger train en route from Pretoria, South Africa, to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, collided with a Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway (BBR) goods train early Friday morning, leaving more than a dozen injured and carriages derailed.
The incident occurred around 6h15 AM, approximately 8 kilometers outside Gwanda, along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge railway line at the 132-kilometer peg. The Rovos Rail train was carrying 47 international tourists at the time of the collision.
Injury reports remain conflicting. Rovos Rail spokesperson Liezl Maclean confirmed that four crew members sustained injuries and that no passengers were known to be hurt, though several were placed under medical observation.
However, a local railway employee who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed 18 people were injured, with 14 admitted to Gwanda Provincial Hospital and four transferred to Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police reported 13 injuries but did not clarify whether those injured were passengers, train crew, or staff from the goods train. Authorities confirmed that none of the injuries were life-threatening.
The collision caused significant damage, derailing several carriages and severely disrupting travel plans. An investigation into the cause of the crash is currently underway.