Italian diplomat killed in crash

Kenya: The head of the Italian Consulate in Malindi has died.

Marco Vancini died on the spot yesterday morning when his car collided head on with a lorry at Msabaha area along the Mombasa-Malindi highway.

Kilifi County Police Commander Joseph Nthenge  told The Standard Vancini was driving to Mombasa from Malindi when his Suzuki car collided with the truck.

The driver of the lorry and his loader were, however, unhurt.

"We have launched  investigations to establish the cause of the accident as he (Vancini) had moved from his lane towards the other lane before colliding with the lorry," Nthenge said, adding that local residents assisted police to remove the body from the wreckage for preservation at Star Hospital mortuary and the officers towed it to Malindi police station.

Malindi has a large Italian community, many of them are engaged in the hotel and tourism industry. The consulate was created to provide them with consular services.

Vancini who is survived by a wife and child owns five hotels in Malindi town.