At least 25 people, most of them children and teenagers, have lost their lives after a passenger bus crashed into a ravine on Cabo Verde’s Fogo Island.
The fatal accident occurred on Saturday as the bus was returning to the city of Sao Filipe from an excursion to Cha das Caldeiras, a village located within the Pico do Fogo volcanic crater.
According to Cabo Verde’s public broadcaster, RCV, the vehicle was carrying 32 passengers when it reportedly veered off the road before plunging into a deep valley.
The head of civil protection in Sao Filipe, Jose Canuto, said several other passengers sustained injuries, with some reported to be in critical condition.
Authorities disclosed that the victims included the bus driver, who had made it a tradition to organise the annual trip for students he transported to school during the academic year as a special gift.
Emergency responders spent several hours overnight searching the difficult terrain and rescuing survivors trapped inside the wreckage, which came to rest in a rocky area that was challenging to access.
Local reports said seven of the victims were buried on Sunday morning, while funeral arrangements for the remaining victims were expected to take place later in the day.
Road accidents resulting in such high casualties are uncommon in Cabo Verde, an island nation in West Africa known for its relatively well-maintained road network.
