At least 40 people died and several dozen were injured in the collision between two buses in Senegal, the local fire department announced on Sunday.
The death toll was confirmed by Senegalese President Macky Sall, who declared three days of mourning starting Monday, according to the Europa Press news agency.
The Senegalese head of state said, on the social network Twitter, that on Monday he will hold an inter-ministerial council “to take firm measures on road safety and public passenger transport.”
According to the National Fire Department, quoted by the AFP news agency, 87 people were injured in the accident.
The Senegalese media estimate between 70 and 115 people, according to sources from the Sene News and ActuDakar media, cited by Europa Press.
The accident occurred early today, at 03:15 local time (01:15 in Lisbon), near the city of Kaffrine, some 250 kilometers southeast of the capital Dakar, according to a press release from the National Fire Department. Brigade.
The victims were taken to Kaffrine hospital, the wreckage of the buses was removed and the road reopened to traffic, according to firefighters. The governor of the region and the mayor of Kaffrine went to the scene of the accident.
This was the deadliest accident in Senegal in recent years. Last week, at least fourteen people died and 73 were injured in a collision between two buses in Yamoussoukro (centre) and 18 people were killed in an accident between two vehicles in northern Nigeria.
Bus accidents are frequent in Africa, due to the poor maintenance of the vehicles, the poor state of the roads, but also errors in driving the vehicles.
Source: TSF
