At least 18 people died and several others were injured when a passenger bus skidded off a bridge and plunged into the Oued El Harrach river in Algiers, Algeria’s capital, on Friday, August 15.
The accident occurred around 5:46 p.m. local time in the Mohammadia district of east Algiers. Lieutenant Nasim Bernawi, deputy director of statistics and information at Algeria’s Civil Protection Directorate, confirmed the death toll to local media outlets.
Emergency responders deployed 25 ambulances, 16 divers, and four rescue boats to the scene. Search and rescue operations continued well into Friday evening as crews worked to locate any additional victims in the water.
Two of the injured passengers were reported to be in critical condition but were stabilized before being transported to local hospitals. The deceased victims were taken to hospital mortuaries. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the crash.
Local residents acted quickly to assist with rescue efforts, jumping into the ravine to help pull passengers from the partially submerged bus before official emergency crews arrived at the scene. Footage from the aftermath showed the white bus with extensive damage, including shattered windows, broken doors, and dents along the top and sides.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune responded to the tragedy by declaring a day-long period of national mourning beginning Friday evening. The president ordered national flags to be flown at half-mast and issued a statement offering condolences to the victims’ families.
“With profound sorrow, I pay tribute to the memory of our fellow citizens who died in this tragic accident,” Tebboune said in his official statement.
General Saïd Chanegriha of the Algerian People’s National Army visited victims on Saturday, August 16, making stops at multiple medical facilities, including the Army Central Hospital in Ain Naâdja, the Salim Zemirli Specialized Hospital in El Harrach, and Mustapha Bacha University Hospital Center.
The bus accident represents one of Algeria’s deadliest road disasters in recent years. Road accidents occur frequently in the North African nation due to poor road conditions, speeding violations, and mechanical failures of vehicles.
In 2023, Algeria experienced another severe bus crash that killed at least 34 people and injured 12 others when a bus collided with a commercial vehicle and burst into flames on a highway. That collision caused additional vehicles, including another bus and a car, to catch fire.
The Algeria Press Service and local outlet AL24 initially reported the Friday incident. Emergency responders worked through the night to ensure all victims were recovered from the Oued El Harrach river.
Images from the crash site showed dozens of emergency vehicles surrounding the riverbank as rescue teams coordinated their efforts. The damaged bus was eventually pulled from the water, revealing the extent of the impact from the fall off the bridge.
Algeria’s Civil Protection Service confirmed that civilians played a crucial role in the immediate response, entering the water to assist victims before professional rescue teams could reach the scene. The quick actions of locals likely prevented additional casualties from the accident.
The incident occurred in a district that has experienced similar transportation accidents in recent years. Last October, Algeria recorded two comparable accidents in the southern provinces of Ouargla and Naama that resulted in 18 passenger deaths and 20 injuries.
