By Tirivashe Chikumbirike
MASVINGO — Three people died on the spot and six others, including the driver, were seriously injured on Saturday evening when an overloaded Honda Fit veered off the road and rammed into tree along the Mutare–Masvingo Road.
The tragedy occurred at the 285-kilometre peg. The compact car was traveling toward Mutare with eight passengers on board alongside the driver , far exceeding the vehicle’s design capacity.
According to official reports, the driver lost control of the heavily loaded vehicle. It swerved off the right side of the tarmac, crashed head-on into a tree, and flipped over once.
“The ZRP confirms a fatal road traffic accident which occurred at the 285 kilometre peg along Mutare–Masvingo Road on 22/08/26 at around 1740 hours,” police said in a statement. ”
As a result of the crash, three passengers died on the spot, while six others, including the driver, sustained injuries.”
Emergency services dispatched to the scene retrieved the victims from the wreckage. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Masvingo Provincial Hospital mortuary for postmortem examinations, while the injured survivors were rushed to the same facility for emergency treatment.
Police said investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crash.
Authorities have once again urged motorists to avoid overloading vehicles and to observe road safety regulations, especially on long-distance routes.
