Cape Verde bus crash leaves island mourning ‘great catastrophe’
At least 25 people – mostly teenagers – are reportedly dead after a bus tumbled down a steep cliff in a crash labelled a “catastrophe” on the African archipelago of Cape Verde.
The local municipality said the island of Fogo, which has just 35,000 residents, was in mourning after a bus carrying students on an excursion crashed in Campanas de Cima on Saturday.
The local municipality said the island of Fogo, which has just 35,00 residents, was in mourning after a bus carrying students on an excursion crashed in Campanas de Cima on Saturday. Cabo Verde e a sua Gente
Photos of the crash showed the bus crumpled on rocks part way down a steep cliff, having reportedly fallen about 30 metres.
São Filipe Mayor Nuías Silva provided the death toll to local newspaper A Nação on Sunday, while another official told wire service Lusa that 18 more people were injured, four of them seriously.
Silva said the “tragic accident” was a “painful tragedy”.
“In this moment of immense pain, there are no words that can soothe the anguish of those who’ve lost a loved one or who follow this tragedy,” he said, in a statement.
“Nevertheless, it is the municipality's duty to express its deepest condolences and to guarantee its full availability to provide all necessary support.”
President Jose Maria Pereira Neves described the crash as a “true tragedy” and a “great catastrophe”.
Seven bodies were immediately buried due to their condition, local media reported, citing the island's health authorities.
The cause of the accident was yet to be determined.
The president and some other officials were expected to visit the island on Sunday.
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