More than 30 people have died in a bus crash on a mountainous road in Bolivia, authorities have confirmed.
The vehicle plunged nearly 800 meters (2,625 feet) in the southwestern district of Yocalla, with police suspecting the driver lost control.
Fourteen others sustained injuries, including four children, according to a hospital official. Several of the injured remain in serious condition, local media reports.
The accident occurred on the road between Potosí and Oruro, an area known for its treacherous terrain. Police colonel Víctor Benavides told AFP that speeding may have been a factor, saying the driver was “unable” to control the bus.
Bolivia’s roads, particularly in the mountains, are notorious for deadly crashes. Just last month, 19 people were killed when another bus veered off the road near Potosí.
On average, road accidents claim around 1,400 lives annually in the country of 12 million, according to government data.
Authorities have launched an investigation into what is believed to be Bolivia’s deadliest road accident so far this year.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then