A catastrophic bus collision on a busy highway in Bolivia has resulted in 37 fatalities and left 39 people with serious injuries. The accident occurred on Saturday, March 1, near the south-western city of Uyuni.
Accident Details and Causes
According to Police Commander Wilson Flores, the tragedy unfolded when one of the PSV buses lost control—likely due to speeding—and veered into the oncoming lane. This loss of control led to a head-on crash with another bus traveling in the opposite direction.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, and first responders confirmed that 37 individuals died immediately upon impact, while 39 others sustained severe injuries. The injured were transported to four local hospitals in Uyuni for urgent care.
Widespread Devastation
Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos as both buses were heavily damaged. Photographs from the site show twisted metal and wreckage scattered across the highway. In a heart-wrenching display of tragedy, emergency teams were seen carefully removing victims, some of whom were covered with blankets.
Reports also indicate that one of the buses was en route to Oruro, a city currently buzzing with carnival celebrations, highlighting the sudden disruption of plans due to this fatal accident.
Ongoing Investigations
Authorities are conducting thorough investigations to establish all factors contributing to the crash. Efforts are underway to identify all the victims and to determine if speeding was indeed the primary cause. The incident has prompted calls for enhanced road safety measures in the region to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
