At least 13 students were injured after two school buses carrying a total of 101 pupils were involved in a road accident in the Riting area of West Pokot County on Tuesday.
The incident was confirmed by the Kenya Red Cross Society, which said the injured included six boys and seven girls. All the injured students were rushed to Kapenguria Referral Hospital for treatment as emergency response teams worked to assist those affected.
In a statement, the humanitarian organisation said it had deployed emergency teams to the scene to coordinate rescue operations.
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“Kenya Red Cross is responding to a road traffic incident involving two school buses carrying 101 pupils in Riting Area, West Pokot County. So far, 13 injured persons (6 males and 7 females) have been evacuated to Kapenguria Referral Hospital for treatment,” the organisation said.
According to preliminary reports, the students were travelling on an educational tour when the accident occurred. Rescue operations continued for several hours as emergency responders evacuated pupils and teachers from the scene.
Unverified reports also indicated that one person may have died in the crash. However, this had not been independently confirmed by authorities at the time of publication.
The Kenya Red Cross said response teams from West Pokot and the neighbouring Turkana County joined efforts to provide emergency assistance.
County government ambulances, alongside an additional ambulance from the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), were also deployed to support rescue and evacuation efforts.
Besides medical care, the organisation confirmed that psychosocial support was being offered to students, teachers, and other individuals affected by the traumatic incident.
By the time of publication, evacuation efforts were still underway, with pupils and teachers being relocated to a safe holding area as authorities assessed the situation.
The accident comes as schools across the country begin closing for the August holidays, a period that typically records increased travel as learners return home or participate in educational trips.
The incident has once again raised concerns over road safety involving school transport during peak travel seasons.
On Monday, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) urged vehicle owners and drivers to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and properly licensed before embarking on journeys during the school holiday period.
The authority emphasized the importance of vehicle maintenance, compliance with traffic regulations, and responsible driving to safeguard the lives of learners and all road users as holiday travel intensifies.
Authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the crash as families await further updates on the condition of the injured students.