EIGHTEEN people narrowly escaped death when a coaster bus they were travelling in lost control and hit two trees on the Musanze-Kigali highway.

The accident occurred on Wednesday morning in Gakenke District.

The vehicle, with registration number RAB657R5, veered off the road at Buheta cell at 6:30am before it hit roadside trees, with all passengers sustaining injuries. The critically injured were rushed to  Ruhengeri Hospital while those who sustained minor injuries were taken to Nemba

Hospital in Gakenke. Four of the injured were treated and discharged.

Eyewitnesses said an early morning downpour had washed clay into the road, making it  slippery.

But Superintendent Emmanuel Hitayezu, the Northern Province Regional police spokesperson, said investigations were ongoing to establish the exact cause of the accident.

"The bus was speeding when it lost control and veered off the road. It hit two trees, uprooted them and the driver disappeared immediately. It is by God’s mercy that everybody in the vehicle survived,” said an eyewitness only identified as Theoneste.

Dr Deo Ndekezi, the director of Ruhengeri Hospital, said all the victims admitted there were steadily recovering.

"They are receiving treatment. Only one of them had broken pieces of glass inside the body but they are being removed. We expect to discharge them tomorrow (today) to continue treatment from their homes,” Ndekezi said.

Musanze -Kigali road is prone to accidents and drivers have been warned to avoid speeding.

Earlier this month, three people died and eight others sustained injuries along the same road.