At least 25 killed in bus crash, most of them children and teenagers

At least 25 people, most of them children and teenagers, died when a bus plunged into a deep ravine on Cape Verde’s island of Fogo. The driver was among the dead.

The bus carried 32 passengers and was returning to São Filipe after an outing to Chã das Caldeiras, a village located inside the crater of Pico do Fogo. Local authorities said the vehicle left the road and fell into the ravine.

The driver had organized the trip every year as a gift for students he drove to school during the academic year. The excursion turned into a tragedy in an archipelago where such accidents are considered rare because roads are generally in good condition.

Several other passengers were injured, some seriously, São Filipe civil protection chief Jose Canuto told reporters. Rescuers worked throughout the night to free victims from the wreckage, which came to rest in a hard-to-reach rocky valley.

Seven victims were buried early in the morning in the presence of President José Maria Neves. The remaining funerals were expected to take place later that day.

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The bus carried 32 passengers.