Rovos Rail says locomotives and coaches damaged in head-on crash will return to SA later this month

A South African luxury train carrying foreign tourists to Zimbabwe for Easter collided with another locomotive on Friday, derailing carriages and injuring several people on board

A South African luxury train carrying foreign tourists to Zimbabwe for Easter collided with another locomotive on Friday, derailing carriages and injuring several people on board

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Published Apr 20, 2025

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Two Rovos Rail locomotives and four coaches, damaged in a head-on collision near Gwanda in Zimbabwe, will be returned to Rovos headquarters in South Africa before the end of April.

Rovos Rail CEO, Rohan Vos, said the train was travelling to Victoria Falls and collided with a goods train on Thursday.

"The collision occurred on the Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway line. We had 47 guests and 34 staff members on board. No injuries were sustained by our guests.

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"Four staff members are receiving medical attention and are expected to recover in the next two weeks," Vos said.

Vos added that in its 36 years of operation, Rovos Rail has consistently travelled on the BBR line for 20 years have has never had any serious incidents.

"We sincerely regret this occurrence but, rest assured, the safety and well-being of our guests and staff is paramount," Vos said.

Established in 1989, Rovos says it offers "bespoke train safaris through the heart of Africa," with trips from South Africa's Cape Town to Tanzania's coastal city of Dar Es Salaam.

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