NWOYA DISTRICT, Uganda – Three people are dead and four others injured following a fatal road crash involving a Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) vehicle and a crossing elephant along Arua Road inside Murchison Falls National Park.
The incident occurred on the night of May 24, 2026, at approximately 8:00 p.m. in Nwoya District, according to a police statement released on Monday.
The vehicle, a Toyota Hiace registration number UA 20121AA, was carrying seven URA officials who were traveling from Arua City back to Kampala after completing official duty.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the driver knocked a crossing elephant, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The impact and subsequent loss of control proved catastrophic.
Three occupants died on the spot. The other four including the driver sustained injuries of varying severity.
Police responded promptly to the scene, rushing the injured victims to Kiryandongo Hospital for initial medical attention. They were later transferred to Kampala for further management.
The bodies of the deceased were conveyed to Anaka Hospital Mortuary, where postmortem examinations will be conducted.
In their statement, Uganda Police Force strongly urged motorists to exercise extreme caution while driving through national parks and wildlife-protected areas especially during night hours.
Drivers were also reminded to strictly observe speed limits to avoid similar tragedies.
Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest protected area, is home to significant wildlife populations including elephants, which frequently cross roads within the park. Night driving in such areas carries heightened risk due to limited visibility and unpredictable animal movement.
This incident marks one of the deadliest wildlife-related road crashes in the park in recent memory.