At least 15 people have died after a bus they were traveling in overturned in northeastern Brazil, local officials reported. The vehicle was transporting around 60 people returning from a pilgrimage when it crashed on a curved highway in the rural area of Alagoas state on Tuesday morning. Among the dead were three children, and some survivors were airlifted to hospitals for treatment.
Footage from the scene shows the bus on its side with debris scattered around and emergency crews responding. Initial investigations suggest that the driver may have lost control before the bus left the highway and rolled over multiple times. Reports indicate that the most critically injured patient transferred to a hospital was a nine-year-old child suffering from a head injury.
The pilgrims were part of a religious festival known as Our Lady of Candeias, traveling from Coité do Noia in Alagoas to Juazeiro do Norte in Ceará—a journey spanning 563 kilometers (350 miles) that usually takes about eight hours.
The accident occurred in São José da Tapera, close to the end of their trip back to Coité do Noia. Bueno Higino Filho, the mayor of Coité do Noia, described the tragedy as a tremendous loss, expressing his sorrow and solidarity with the bereaved families. Following the catastrophe, the governor of Alagoas state declared three days of mourning and expressed condolences on social media.
Footage from the scene shows the bus on its side with debris scattered around and emergency crews responding. Initial investigations suggest that the driver may have lost control before the bus left the highway and rolled over multiple times. Reports indicate that the most critically injured patient transferred to a hospital was a nine-year-old child suffering from a head injury.
The pilgrims were part of a religious festival known as Our Lady of Candeias, traveling from Coité do Noia in Alagoas to Juazeiro do Norte in Ceará—a journey spanning 563 kilometers (350 miles) that usually takes about eight hours.
The accident occurred in São José da Tapera, close to the end of their trip back to Coité do Noia. Bueno Higino Filho, the mayor of Coité do Noia, described the tragedy as a tremendous loss, expressing his sorrow and solidarity with the bereaved families. Following the catastrophe, the governor of Alagoas state declared three days of mourning and expressed condolences on social media.
