Tragedy in Potosí: a Bus Overturned and There Are 28 People Dead

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.

Victims and rescue efforts

The authorities warned that the number of deceased could increase due to the severity of the injuries. At the Hospital Daniel Bracamonte, four minors were admitted, two of whom are in intensive care with a reserved prognosis. Additionally, nine adults remain hospitalized with injuries of varying severity, some requiring emergency surgeries.

The blue bus, with license plate 1795-PID, was completely destroyed after the fall. Upon arriving at the accident site, rescue teams found a heartbreaking scene: bodies scattered in the area and survivors calling for help.

One of the most moving moments occurred when a firefighter broke down in tears upon finding a four-year-old child alone at the summit, without his mother. The rescuer hugged him and took him to an ambulance.

Some injured women were crying for help and pleading for their relatives trapped in the bus. According to witnesses, some passengers managed to survive by being ejected from the vehicle during the fall.

The authorities continue to investigate the case, while the tragedy mourns several families in Potosí and other regions of the country.