AT LEAST one person has died with six others critically injured after a bus ploughed into a wandering elephant.

Officials are desperately trying to find the wounded animal after it managed to flee the scene of the horror crash.

Shocking pictures show the front of the bus was left mangled by the force of the wild elephant in Uganda.

The tragic accident took place at around 1:30am near Karuma when the passenger vehicle was travelling from Gulu to Kampala.

The driver of the bus is believed to have died after sustaining serious injuries when the glass windows and front of the motor caved in.

Six other passengers were rushed to hospital all in critical conditions, according to New Vision.

Several others suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

Officials from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) confirmed the cause of the fatal crash was a wandering elephant who stepped out in front of the bus.

It was reportedly among a herd of at least four African elephants.

Teams from UWA are now actively searching for the elephant to check on its condition and provide it with any help after the brutal smash.

The bus wreckage has since been impounded and taken to Dima Police Station for further investigations.

A similar shocking crash involving a truck and an elephant took place last November.

The motorist ran over and killed the elephant as he sped through Karuma national park.

The latest human-animal conflict has caused renewed calls for better safety measures in the busy region.

Wild animals are known to use the long stretch of road as a crossover point which means they can often cause serious accidents.

The UWA have been urged to take measures to ensure the safety of the animals further.

Local officials and the bus company have both called for electric fences or dig protective trenches to be installed along the Gulu-Kampala highway to deter roaming animals from crossing.