At least 41 individuals lost their lives early on Saturday, December 21, in a catastrophic bus accident in southeastern Brazil, as reported by authorities.
This incident, which took place in the state of Minas Gerais, marks the deadliest event on Brazil’s federal highways since 2007, according to the Federal Highway Police (PRF).
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva referred to the event as a “terrible tragedy.”
Lula expressed his condolences on social media, offering prayers for “the recovery of the survivors of this terrible tragedy” and extending sympathies to the families of the victims.
On Sunday, December 22, the Civil Police informed reporters that “41 bodies” had been recovered from the site of the accident near the mining town of Teofilo Otoni in Minas Gerais.
Initial investigations indicate that a block of granite “possibly” fell from a truck traveling in the opposite direction, impacting the bus, as stated by the PRF. The driver of the truck reportedly fled the scene, according to firefighters.
The collision occurred around 4 a.m. when the bus, en route from São Paulo to Vitória da Conquista in Bahia state, collided with a truck and subsequently caught fire. Officials noted that another vehicle collided with the bus from behind, but its occupants survived.
The fire that engulfed the bus complicated the identification of victims, with authorities acknowledging that the condition of the bodies has hindered the accurate count of fatalities.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with authorities striving to ascertain the precise circumstances surrounding the collision and to locate the truck driver.
