A fatal collision between a bus and a truck in southeastern Brazil over the weekend led to the death of 41 individuals. This accident marks the most devastating highway tragedy in the country since 2007.
The Civil Police confirmed on Sunday that rescuers had removed “41 bodies” from the crash scene near Teofilo Otoni, a mining town in the state of Minas Gerais. This figure was an increase from the initial reports of 38 victims.
The fatal incident took place on Saturday, December 21, 2024, along highway BR-116. The bus, which was transporting 45 passengers from São Paulo to the northeastern state of Bahia, caught fire following the collision.
Officials and witnesses have given two different explanations for the crash. The federal police reported that “a large block of granite apparently fell from a truck traveling in the opposite direction and struck the bus”. However, other authorities suggested that a tire blowout on the bus led to the driver losing control.
The military police revealed that the truck driver had had his license suspended two years prior, and had fled the scene. Among the victims were the bus driver and at least one child. The intense fire demanded hours of effort by the rescue teams to put it out and recover the victims from the wreckage.
“Rescue teams are working on the accident site and there are still more victims to be removed,” Lieutenant Alonso of the fire department reported during the ongoing rescue operation. Thirteen survivors were taken to hospitals near Teofilo Otoni for treatment. A car carrying three passengers also crashed into the bus, but all of them survived the incident.
In response to the tragedy, Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema initiated a “full mobilization” of the state government to assist the survivors and their families. On social media platform X, 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 has also offered federal assistance in response to the tragedy.
Highway BR-116, the site of the crash, noted 559 deaths back in 2023, making it the most lethal highway in Brazil that year. Data from the country’s Ministry of Transportation reveals over 10,000 traffic-related fatalities in 2024.
Brazil has witnessed several deadly bus accidents in recent months. In November 2023, a bus fell into a ravine on a remote mountain road in the northeastern state of Alagoas, leading to the death of 17 people. In September 2024, a bus carrying the Coritiba Crocodiles football team overturned on their journey to Rio de Janeiro, resulting in three deaths and the subsequent cancelation of their scheduled match.
