At least 20 schoolchildren and one adult died after a bus carrying students on a school trip crashed in eastern Uganda, local officials say, in one of the deadliest road accidents involving children in recent years.

Dozens of people, including school staff, were injured in the accident that occurred on Thursday night in Kapchorwa area.

Preliminary investigations show that the bus suffered a mechanical failure before the driver lost control on Chekwatit Hill, a stretch of road that has been the scene of several serious accidents, according to local officials.

“The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which left the road, struck a large rock on the side of the road and overturned,” police said.

The bus, carrying students from King David Secondary School in Ndejje, crashed around 8pm local time (1700 GMT) in Chekwatit village in the Kawowo area, police said.

“Unfortunately, 20 children and 1 adult, who happens to be the founder and director, Mr. Tadeo Ssekade, have gone to be with the Lord,” Local Government Minister Balaam Ateenyi Barugahara posted on X while at the scene.

Videos shared by eyewitnesses showed the bus badly damaged, as local residents rushed to help injured children.

The students were returning from a field trip and local media reported that they had visited Sipi Falls, a tourist area.

Uganda records thousands of road deaths each year, with speeding, poorly maintained vehicles and dangerous roads among the leading causes, according to traffic authorities.

The latest accident comes amid renewed concern over the safety of school transport after several serious bus accidents were reported in the country in recent weeks.