Bus crash kills 35 in Zimbabwe on way to Easter rally

At least 35 people were killed in Zimbabwe when a bus carrying worshippers to an Easter weekend religious gathering in the southeastern town of Chipinge crashed.

"An accident occurred during the night. The death toll is 35 and 71 injured," police spokesman Paul Nyathi told AFP.

The vehicle went off the road and plunged into a ravine. It was carrying worshippers from the Sion Christian Church, the spokesman said. Preliminary investigations show that the bus was overloaded.

An analysis made by the AFP shows that road accidents are common in Zimbabwe, perhaps due to the poor state of the roads in the country.

The evangelical Zion Christian Church is popular in the region. A pilgrimage to neighbouring South Africa brings its congregation to the largest gathering of Christians in southern Africa every year.