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Nearly 70 Dead in Bolivia Bus Crashes During Carnival
A tragic accident in southern Bolivia on Monday has claimed at least 31 lives, bringing the total number of fatalities in recent days to nearly 70. Investigators confirmed that the latest crash occurred when a bus collided with a pick-up truck and plunged into a ravine, killing numerous passengers.
The crash took place in the Potosi department, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of the city of Potosi, just two days after another deadly bus collision near the city of Uyuni. That crash, involving festivalgoers traveling to the Oruro Carnival, one of Latin America's largest festivals, resulted in at least 37 deaths.
Monday’s crash involved passengers returning from the same carnival, as thousands of revelers head back home after the festivities. Authorities suspect that the pick-up driver caused the collision by swerving into oncoming traffic, where the bus was struck head-on before plunging nearly 500 meters (half a kilometer) down a gorge. Twenty-two people were also injured in the accident.
The pick-up driver was hospitalized for injuries and placed under police custody, according to police spokesman Limberth Choque. He is under investigation for possible homicide and causing serious injury.
Forensic experts have been examining the crash site for further evidence. Investigators also noted that in the earlier crash involving two buses heading to the carnival, one of the bus drivers had been speeding and allegedly drinking, which may have contributed to the tragedy.
Among the victims of the Oruro-bound bus crash were six foreigners, including five Peruvians and a three-year-old German girl.
Bolivia’s narrow, mountainous roads are notorious for frequent fatal accidents. On average, 1,400 people die annually in road accidents in the country, which has a population of around 12 million, according to government statistics.
Potosi, the department where these crashes occurred, accounts for 10.6 percent of Bolivia's traffic accidents. This year alone, over 120 people have lost their lives in accidents in the region, including at least 30 people who died in a bus plunge near Potosi on February 17. Speeding was suspected to be a factor in that crash as well.
In January, 19 people were killed in another tragic bus crash near Potosi, highlighting the ongoing safety concerns on Bolivia’s perilous roadways.