Truck and Bus collision in Bolivia kills 31, injures 22

A horrific incident took place in Southern Bolivia when a truck travelling on the highway forcefully collided with a bus on Monday. The collision glided the bus off the road, which then rolled down a ravine for around 1640 feet (500 meters) and caused at least 31 fatalities.  

According to the local police, the accident was so intense that the structural body of the bus was severely damaged. The accident took place on the highway between Oruro, in the Bolivian Altiplano and the highland mining city of Potosi.  

One of the spokesperson on behalf of the local police shed light on the death toll and the injuries which have been caused out of the accident. He said that the 22 people suffered injuries including both men and women. He added that the emergency services responded immediately to the crime site and handled the situation well by transporting every victim to nearby medical facilities.  

President Luis Arce's statement on Bus Crash  

The President of Bolivia, Luis Arce also expressed his condolences on the incident through his social media where he wrote a heartfelt note. In his wish he stated the accident was unfortunate, but the authorities will work hard to find out its root cause and establish  responsibilities accordingly.  

“We send our sincere condolences to the bereaved families wishing them the necessary strength to face these difficult times,” he wrote on Facebook. Police officials have arrested the truck driver and are currently investigating the situation to find out the exact cause of the accident. 

Road Accidents in Bolivia 

Notably, bus accidents in Bolivia are much common, highlighting the country’s poor road safety standards. A similar accident took place last month when a bus plunged 800m (2600 ft) off a mountainous road. The accident killed 31 people and injured many others which included both adults and children.  

Bolivia is one of those countries which experiences severe accidents almost daily. Official statistics state that the death toll from road accidents annually in the country is approximately 1400, in the country of 12 million people. Out of this the road connecting Potosi experiences the most fatal accidents with 10.6 % of accidents reported in total.