On Monday, February 17th, a major accident occurred in the Potosi province in southwestern Bolivia, where a long-distance bus plunged into a ravine, resulting in at least 31 deaths and 15 injuries.
Local police stated that the accident happened on Monday afternoon in the Yocalla area of the Potosi province. Rescue teams are still at the scene searching for survivors and the bodies of the victims, while the cause of the accident is being further investigated.
Police Colonel Victor Benavides told Agence France-Presse that rescue teams have recovered 30 bodies and transported them to the morgue. This deadly accident took place on a narrow two-way road between the cities of Potosi and Oruro.
It was reported that the bus involved in the crash was en route to the Oruro province in western Bolivia. The exact number of passengers on board at the time of the incident is still unknown.
According to local media reports, at least 15 people were injured in the accident, with 10 adults and 4 children being taken to hospitals for treatment, some of them in critical condition.
Benavides stated that authorities preliminarily suspect that the bus driver may have lost control of the vehicle due to excessive speed, causing both the passengers and the bus to plunge into the ravine about 800 meters deep on the side of the road. The section of the road where the incident occurred is steep, with many sharp turns and steep slopes, making it a high-risk area for traffic accidents.
This is the most serious traffic accident reported in the country so far this year. Last month, another bus veered off the road near Potosi, resulting in 19 deaths.
Bolivia’s winding and treacherous mountain roads are inherently dangerous, and speeding vehicles are prone to traffic accidents. According to official statistics, in this country with a population of only about 12 million, an average of 1,400 people die in road traffic accidents every year.