The island of Fogo in Cape Verde is reeling after a bus crash on Saturday claimed the lives of 25 people. Most of the dead were teenagers and young students from the rural communities of Curral Grande and Ponta Verde.
Education officials were quick to clarify that the trip was not an organized school event. José Pedro Gonçalves, the Ministry of Education delegate in São Filipe, explained that the driver had customarily arranged such excursions every year for the students he ferried throughout the school year. The driver himself was among those who died, though his identity has not yet been made public.
The exact cause of the crash is still unknown. What is known is that the bus veered off the road and tumbled down a roughly 30-meter cliff in a rocky area, eventually coming to rest in a ravine. That ravine, rescuers said, was extremely difficult to access, hampering their efforts to reach the wounded.
By the time the dust settled, 20 of the victims were already dead at the scene. Five more succumbed to their injuries overnight in hospital. The news has hit the island hard; seven of the victims were buried overnight, local reports said.
Authorities have opened an investigation into the tragedy. This is a developing story and more information is expected to emerge.
