A passenger bus and truck collision in southeastern Brazil resulted in a death toll of 41, making it the worst highway accident in the country since 2007.
The Civil Police confirmed the removal of 41 bodies from the accident site, located near the mining town of Teofilo Otoni in the state of Minas Gerais, an increase from the earlier reports of 38 casualties.
The accident took place on Saturday, December 21, 2024, on the BR-116 highway. The bus, transporting 45 passengers from São Paulo to Bahia state in northeastern Brazil, ignited in flames following the collision.
Authorities and eyewitnesses have provided two differing descriptions of the incident. The federal police indicated that “a large block of granite apparently fell from a truck traveling in the opposite direction and struck the bus,” while other officials suggested that a tire blowout on the bus caused the driver to lose control.
The military police verified that the truck driver’s license had been suspended two years before the accident, and he had fled the scene. The casualties included the bus driver and at least one child. The severity of the fire necessitated hours of effort from rescue teams to put out the blazes and retrieve victims from the debris.
During the continued rescue operation, Lt. Alonso of the fire department stated, “Rescue teams are working on the accident site and there are still more victims to be removed.” Thirteen survivors received medical attention at hospitals close to Teofilo Otoni. A car carrying three passengers also collided with the bus, but all individuals survived.
Romeu Zema, the Governor of Minas Gerais, instructed a “full mobilization” of the state government to aid survivors and families. On a social media platform, Zema stated, “We are working to ensure that families of the victims are supported to face this tragedy in the most humane way possible, especially as it comes just before Christmas.”
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced federal support in a public statement.
BR-116, the site of the crash, saw 559 deaths in 2023, earning it the grim title of Brazil’s deadliest highway that year. Data from the country’s Ministry of Transportation shows a staggering count of over 10,000 traffic-related deaths in 2024.
The nation has been grappling with numerous fatal bus accidents in recent times. In November 2023, a bus in northeastern Alagoas state veered into a ravine on a remote mountain road, leading to the death of 17 people. In September 2024, a bus carrying the Coritiba Crocodiles football team toppled over en route to Rio de Janeiro, causing three deaths and the cancellation of their scheduled game.