A serious traffic accident occurred on the Potosí-Oruro highway, where a bus from the San José company plunged down an 800-meter (2625 feet) deep ravine, leaving a preliminary toll of 28 dead and 20 injured. Initially, the Police reported 31 fatalities, but later adjusted the figure after the recount conducted at the morgue.
The accident took place around noon, 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the city of Potosí, in a sloping area before the Yocalla bridge. According to the departmental police commander, Colonel José Luis Arancibia, the official number of deceased rises to 28 people, including three minors.
Accident on the Yocalla slope
The police command spokesperson, Limbert Choque, indicated that the possible cause of the accident was excessive speed. According to witnesses, the bus hit the safety barrier before falling down the ravine. Additionally, the initial investigations revealed that no skid marks were found, which raises suspicions of a mechanical failure or a possible loss of control by the driver.
The bus departed from Villa Imperial with 24 passengers, but it is presumed that it picked up more people along the way, ultimately transporting more than 40 occupants, including adults and children.
Meanwhile, the driver, identified as Navid A. M. (57 years old), is among the fatalities.
