A Rovos Rail luxury train carrying 47 international tourists collided with a goods train near Gwanda, Zimbabwe, early this morning, leaving several staff members injured and disrupting a scheduled journey to Victoria Falls.
The collision occurred around 6:30 am, approximately eight kilometres outside Gwanda in Matabeleland South. The passenger train, operated by Rovos Rail, was en route to one of Zimbabwe’s most popular tourist attractions when it crashed into a National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) affiliate train run by Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway (BBR).
Emergency responders arrived quickly at the scene, and 18 casualties—all staff members—were rushed to hospital. Fourteen were taken to Gwanda Provincial Hospital, while four were transferred to Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo. Authorities confirmed that no tourists were injured.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, and the nationalities of the passengers have not yet been disclosed. Rescue efforts continued throughout the day.
Rovos Rail has offered a full refund to all passengers affected.