Three perish as boda boda crashes into train in Malaba

___________________

A bodaboda rider and his two female passengers were killed instantly on Monday afternoon when their motorcycle crashed into a wagon train at a railway crossing in Malaba town.

The rider, who was reportedly speeding, ignored warnings from bystanders urging him to stop, only to collide with the oncoming train travelling from Tororo to Kenya.

The deceased rider, identified as Patrick Paderborn from Nyangole village in Tororo Municipality, was transporting two unidentified female passengers to Malaba town.

Eyewitnesses said all other motorists had stopped on the opposite side of the road to allow the train to pass, as it had begun hooting approximately 300 meters from the crossing.

Benjamin Onyango, a money changer operating near the railway crossing, said the rider seemed unaware of why other motorists, including fellow boda boda riders, had stopped.

"Despite efforts to stop him, he was riding recklessly, unaware of the danger ahead," Onyango said.

A video clip captured by a truck driver at the scene showed the moment the motorcycle crashed into the train.

The railway crossing is typically manned by Counter-Terrorism Police, who manage traffic congestion and ensure the tracks are clear whenever a train approaches.