Italian tourist Sidney Serpetri, 52, killed in head-on collision with truck on Kenya's Mombasa-Malindi road; husband and son injured
Sidney Serpetri, 52, from Florence, died when the taxi she was traveling in with her husband and son collided with a truck on the coastal road between Mombasa and Malindi. The Kenyan driver also died; the husband and son are hospitalized in stable condition.
The crash
On the morning of 24 July 2026, a rented taxi carrying an Italian family of three collided head-on with a truck on the coastal highway linking Mombasa and Malindi in Kenya. The family, residents of Florence, was traveling toward Malindi, a popular beach destination on the Indian Ocean, as part of a holiday. According to initial reconstructions provided to the ANSA news agency, the truck, coming from the opposite direction, suddenly swerved and invaded the oncoming lane, striking the taxi. The impact was immediate and violent. The taxi's Kenyan driver and one passenger, 52-year-old Sidney Serpetri, were killed. Her husband and son, who were also in the vehicle, were injured but survived. One news account, from Malindikenya.net, placed the accident on the Nairobi-Malindi road, but most sources, including ANSA and Fanpage, identified the Mombasa-Malindi stretch. The crash occurred in the late morning local time. The Mombasa-Malindi highway is a key artery for tourists visiting Kenya's coast, often busy with trucks and safari vehicles.
The victims
Sidney Serpetri (whose surname was also reported as Serpretri by Adnkronos) died at the scene. She was on a family holiday. Her husband and son were transported to a hospital in Mombasa, where they were admitted. The Italian embassy, which spoke directly with the husband by phone, said both were in stable condition and not in danger of life. The Kenyan driver, whose name has not been released, also lost his life. The family had hired the car with a driver for the intercity journey, a common arrangement for tourists in the region. The husband and son remained hospitalized for observation but were expected to recover. Their identities have not been made public.
Consular response
The Italian embassy in Nairobi was notified immediately after the crash and activated its consular assistance protocols. It contacted the hospital and the family, and is coordinating with the Farnesina, Italy's foreign ministry, to provide support. The embassy is assisting with the practical arrangements for the repatriation of Serpetri's body and continues to monitor the situation.
The embassy will continue to provide maximum closeness and every possible assistance to the family.
A spokesperson said the embassy is following the case with the utmost attention. The embassy has been in constant contact with local authorities and the hospital. The husband reported that he and his son were in stable condition.
Recent tourist fatalities
The accident is the latest in a string of road deaths involving Italian visitors to Kenya. In April 2026, Stefano Quadrelli, a 63-year-old from Rimini, died in a motorcycle accident in Diani, a coastal resort town south of Mombasa. The previous year, two other Italians, Marco Curcio from Milan and Karen Demozzi from Valtellina, were killed in a separate incident in the same area. These events have drawn attention to road safety conditions on Kenya's tourist routes, though no official statistics were immediately available. The Italian foreign ministry has not issued a travel warning specific to road safety in Kenya, but the embassy routinely advises caution on the roads.
