Brasilia [Brazil], December 22 : At least 35 people were killed in a tragic collision between a passenger bus and a truck on a highway in Southeastern Brazil during the early hours of Saturday, near the town of Lajinha, in Minas Gerais state, Al Jazeera reported.
According to the fire department, which responded to the incident, stated that "between 32 and 35 people" were killed. Thirteen people were also injured and taken to hospitals in the nearby city of Teofilo Otoni.
The bus had reportedly departed from Sao Paulo and was carrying 45 passengers when one of its tyres blew. This caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle, leading to a collision with a truck. A car, which was also involved in the crash, collided with the bus, but all three people inside the car survived, as per the fire department,
Authorities have confirmed that all the victims have been removed from the crash site, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Following the incident, Governor Romeu Zema said on X that he ordered "full mobilisation" of the Minas Gerais government to assist survivors and families of the victims.
"We are working to ensure that families of the victims are supported to face this tragedy in the most humane way possible, especially as it comes just before Christmas," Zema said.
The truck driver fled the scene and is being sought by police, Al Jazeera reported citing a Brazilian media outlet statement
According to the Federal Highway Police, the highway where the accident occurred was the deadliest in the country in 2023 with 559 deaths recorded.
In 2024, more than 10,000 lives were lost in traffic accidents across Brazil, according to data from the Ministry of Transportation.
According to Al Jazeera, one of the recent tragedies occurred in September when a bus carrying the Coritiba Crocodiles football team overturned on a highway. The accident claimed the lives of three people.
The team, based in the southern city of Curitiba, was travelling to Rio de Janeiro for a scheduled game. The match was cancelled in the aftermath of the accident.
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