A bus carrying 46 passengers tragically veered off a mountain road in southwestern Bolivia on Monday, February 17, 2025. The bus fell approximately half a mile into a deep ravine, resulting in the death of at least 30 people and serious injuries to 14 others. This incident has been labeled as the deadliest transportation accident in Bolivia over the past year.
The fatal accident took place at 11:45 a.m. along a hazardous mountain highway linking the historical mining city of Potosí (home to 170,000 residents) and Oruro, a regional transportation center with a population of 265,000. The crash site is situated in Bolivia’s Yocalla district, renowned for its perilous driving conditions due to the narrow two-lane road that snakes through the high-altitude terrain.
An officer at Daniel Bracamonte Hospital in Potosí stated that the bus driver likely lost control during a particularly winding stretch of the road, causing the bus to plummet half a mile down a sheer cliff within the municipality of Yocalla. The officer proposed that excessive speed might have impaired the driver’s ability to navigate safely.
The crash’s aftermath was devastating. Initial reports from emergency responders at the scene counted 31 bodies among the wreckage. However, after careful examination, officials later revised the death toll to 30.
Among the 14 survivors, four were children who suffered severe injuries. Medical professionals confirmed that two adult passengers were in critical condition and needed immediate intensive care. The hospital administrator, in a video update, mentioned that several of the injured are still in grave condition, with doctors doing their utmost to stabilize their health.
Rescue teams, comprising local police, firefighters, and medical staff from both Potosí and Oruro, struggled to reach the crash site due to the steep terrain and remote location.
This recent incident has underscored the dangers of Bolivia’s mountain roads, particularly in mining regions. Last month, a similar accident near Potosí resulted in 19 deaths. Government data indicates that road accidents are responsible for about 1,400 fatalities annually in Bolivia, a country with a 12 million population, with a significant number happening on mountain routes.
Authorities expect recovery operations to continue throughout the week as teams work to recover the victims and clear the wreckage. Police officials have announced that identification of the victims is ongoing at the Potosí city morgue, and families are being informed as confirmations are made.