A devastating collision in southeastern Brazil between a passenger bus and a truck claimed 41 lives, making it the country’s most fatal highway accident since 2007.
The Civil Police reported on Sunday that 41 bodies were extracted from the crash site near the mining town of Teofilo Otoni in Minas Gerais state. This figure is up from the initial tally of 38 victims.
The fatal incident took place on Saturday, December 21, 2024, on the BR-116 highway. The bus, which was en route from São Paulo to the northeastern state of Bahia with 45 passengers on board, caught fire following the collision.
There are conflicting reports surrounding the cause of the accident. Federal police suggest that “a large block of granite apparently fell from a truck traveling in the opposite direction and struck the bus,” whereas other authorities believe a tire blowout on the bus, leading to a loss of control, may be to blame.
The military police confirmed that the truck driver, who fled the scene, had a suspended license dating back two years. Victims of the crash included the bus driver and at least one child. The severe fire made the rescue operation particularly challenging, requiring hours to extinguish the flames and retrieve victims from the wreckage.
“Rescue teams are working on the accident site and there are still more victims to be removed,” stated Lt. Alonso of the fire department during the ongoing rescue operation. Some survivors were taken to nearby hospitals in Teofilo Otoni. A car carrying three passengers also collided with the bus, but all occupants survived.
In response to the tragedy, Romeu Zema, Governor of Minas Gerais, has called for a “full mobilization” of the state government to support survivors and bereaved families. On social media platform X, Zema stated, “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.”
President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, offered federal assistance in a public statement.
It is worth noting that the site of the accident, highway BR-116, recorded 559 fatalities in 2023, earning the title of Brazil’s deadliest highway that year. Data from the country’s Ministry of Transportation reveals more than 10,000 traffic-related fatalities in 2024.
Brazil has been marred by numerous fatal bus accidents in recent times. In November 2024, a bus carrying approximately 40 passengers in Brazil’s northeastern Alagoas state veered off a remote mountain road near União dos Palmares and plunged into a ravine over 20 meters deep, resulting in 17 fatalities and multiple injuries.
In September 2024, a bus transporting the Coritiba Crocodiles American football team overturned on the Presidente Dutra highway near Piraí in southern Rio de Janeiro state. The accident led to the deaths of three players—Daniel Cross, Lucas Barros, and Lucas Padilha—and injured six others. The team was en route to a championship match in Rio de Janeiro, which was subsequently canceled.
