Postmortem examinations for 17 people killed in a multi-vehicle crash at Salama, along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway in Makueni County, are scheduled for Sunday at Sultan Hamud Hospital, after all victims were formally identified as Catholic pilgrims travelling to a national prayer gathering.

The crash occurred shortly after midnight on Saturday, Oct. 3, when a lorry reportedly lost control after its brakes failed, ramming into several vehicles, including a 14-seater matatu carrying the pilgrims. Makueni County Commissioner Abdullahi Khalif said the lorry collided with five vehicles in total. All 17 occupants of the pilgrims' Toyota Hiace van died at the scene; two others travelling in a separate Toyota Noah involved in the crash were taken to hospital and later discharged. The truck driver, earlier reported to have died, in fact survived with serious injuries and was transferred from Sultan Hamud Hospital to Makueni County Referral Hospital for specialised care. One other person with serious head injuries remained admitted at the referral hospital.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa confirmed the dead were pilgrims from St. Matthias Mulumba Catholic Parish in Mikindani, Mombasa, travelling to the national shrine in Subukia, Nakuru County, for National Prayer Day. According to a passenger manifest provided by parish priest Father Patrick Maingi, those killed were Jane Manga, Janet Miito, Florence Atieno, Josephat Mekonge, Hilkah Orina, Linah Akinyi, Veronicah Musyimi, Martha Nzoki, Ann Mwanthi, Sarapia Mwarimbo, Scholastica Ochiend, Catherine Joseph, Beatrice Oluoch, Veronicah Mgandi, Regina Mwai, Samuel Muigai, and Samuel Mwanyasi, the van's driver.

Sultan Hamud Hospital administrator Dr. Stephen Mwangangi said victims' families had already arrived at the facility ahead of Sunday's postmortem exercise, after which the bodies will be transported to Mombasa County. The National Transport and Safety Authority dispatched a team to the scene to investigate the circumstances of the crash and assess the condition of the vehicles involved; that investigation continues.

President William Ruto sent condolences to the families and the wider Catholic community affected by the crash.