A Serious Bus Accident Claims the Life of at Least 16 Passengers in Brazil
Photograph provided by the Federal Highway Police showing the bus involved in the accident on a federal highway between Paranatama and Saloá (Brazil). At least 16 people died and around twenty were injured in a bus accident on a highway in the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco, official sources reported Saturday. The accident occurred Friday night on a federal highway between the municipalities of Paranatama and Saloá, the Federal Highway Police reported in a statement.
According to the preliminary investigation, the driver lost control of the vehicle, veered into the opposite lane, collided with rocks on the side of the road, and eventually hit a sandbank and overturned. Of the 16 deceased, eleven were women and four were men. The gender of the other deceased has not yet been disclosed. At least 17 other people were injured and taken to hospitals in the region. The driver suffered minor injuries and underwent a breathalyzer test, the result of which was negative. He was then taken to the police station, where he stated that a faulty brake on the bus caused the accident. According to Brazilian authorities, the bus was carrying about 30 passengers bound for the municipality of Brumado, in the state of Bahia, also in the impoverished northeast region of the country.
The Civil Police have opened an investigation to clarify the causes of the accident. Pernambuco Governor Raquel Lyra, on an official visit to China, said on social media that she is monitoring the situation “even from a distance.” “Teams are working to help those in need,” he said. For his part, the governor of Bahia, Jerônimo Rodrigues, lamented the “very serious accident” and expressed his solidarity with the families of the victims, among whom are people born in that state. “I am attentive to the needs of the injured and their families, and I offer my government the opportunity to collaborate with the Pernambuco authorities in any way necessary. We are closely monitoring the situation and are ready to offer support,” he stated on social media. Rodrigues later reported that he had mobilized his Ministry of Health, the Fire Department, and the Technical Police to provide assistance and identify the victims.
