At least 21 people have died and several others have been injured after a tragic bus accident on Fogo Island, in Cape Verde.
The accident happened on Saturday evening on the road connecting the Cha das Caldeiras area with Campanas de Cima, in the northern part of the municipality of Sao Filipe. According to local authorities, the bus went off the road and fell about 30 meters down a steep slope.
Cape Verde's President, Jose Maria Neves, initially announced 10 deaths, but later updated the toll to 21. He expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
According to local news agency Inforpress, most of the people on the bus were young people, mainly high school students from Curral Grande and Ponta Verde. Among the victims was the bus driver.
Education authorities explained that the trip was not organized by the schools. It was a private excursion, organized every year by the driver for the students he transported during the school year.
Emergency teams continue search and rescue operations at the scene, which is difficult to access. Authorities warned that the number of victims could rise, while their identification and final determination of the balance are expected to be made after the operation is completed.
The causes that led to the bus leaving the road remain under investigation.
