Children Among at Least 25 Killed in Cabo Verde Bus Crash
SCMP · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
: At least 25 people, mostly children and teenagers, were killed when a bus veered off the road and plunged into a 30-metre ravine on Cabo Verde's Fogo Island on Saturday evening . The bus was carrying 32 passengers back to Sao Filipe from an excursion to Cha das Caldeiras village inside the Pico do Fogo volcanic crater . Two teenage girls were among several injured passengers in critical condition . The death toll was confirmed by Health Minister Lucio Fernandes, and President Jose Maria Neves expressed condolences to the bereaved families .
Key Points
- :
- At least 25 people killed when bus plunged into rocky ravine in north of Sao Filipe municipality on Saturday evening
- Majority of the 32 passengers were children and teenagers, including secondary school students from local communities
- Bus fell approximately 30 metres into ravine while returning from excursion inside Pico do Fogo volcanic crater
- Two teenage girls among several injured passengers remain in critical condition
- Bus driver, who organised the annual excursion as a gift for his school-run pupils, was among the dead
- Emergency personnel worked through the night to rescue victims trapped in wreckage in hard-to-reach rocky valley
Why It Matters
: Prime Minister Francisco Carvalho is leading a government delegation, accompanied by surgeons, orthopaedic specialists and psychologists from Praia, to Fogo Island immediately . Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, which is rare in the west African archipelago where roads are generally in good condition .