In brief
At least 37 people have lost their lives, and 30 others are injured following a catastrophic bus crash in Bolivia, according to police reports.
On Saturday morning, two passenger buses collided approximately 5 km (3 miles) from the south-western city of Uyuni. This tragic incident unfolded on the route between Uyuni and Colchani, attributed to a "lane invasion," as detailed by local media. One bus was en route to Oruro, where the Oruro Carnival—one of Latin America's most significant festivals—is currently underway.Images emerging from Bolivian media depict the gruesome aftermath, showcasing a severely damaged bus with its bodywork torn apart and belongings strewn across the roadway. Police Commander Wilson Flores reported that one driver is in intensive care while the other remains stable.By 10:00 AM local time (14:00 GMT), recovery operations had concluded, and the injured were transported to hospitals in both Oruro and Potosí. The identities of the deceased have yet to be disclosed, and the conditions of the injured victims are still being assessed. Additionally, police are awaiting the results of alcohol tests for the bus drivers involved in the crash.Tragically, this accident is part of a worrying trend in Bolivia, where deadly road incidents are frequent. Earlier this year, over 30 people died in a bus plunge into a ravine near Potosí, and in January, 19 people were killed when another bus veered off course in the same region. Government data indicates that Bolivia experiences an average of 1,400 fatalities in road accidents each year amidst a population of around 12 million.
