At least 37 people have been killed and 30 others injured after a collision between two passenger buses in Bolivia, police have confirmed.
The fatal crash occurred early Saturday, roughly 5km (3 miles) from the southwestern city of Uyuni. According to police commander Wilson Flores, one of the drivers remains in intensive care, while the other is in stable condition.
Images shared by Bolivian media depict a severely damaged bus with its bodywork torn apart and luggage scattered along the roadside.
Local reports indicate that the accident happened on the route between Uyuni and Colchani in Bolivia’s Potosí department due to a “lane invasion.” One of the buses was en route to Oruro, a western city hosting the renowned Oruro Carnival—one of Latin America’s largest festivals.
By 10:00 local time (14:00 GMT), authorities had recovered both vehicles, and the injured were transported to hospitals in Oruro and Potosí. The identities of the deceased have not yet been released, and the condition of those hospitalized remains unclear.
Fatal road accidents are frequent in Bolivia. In February, more than 30 people lost their lives when a bus plunged nearly 800 meters (2,625 feet) into a ravine on the route between Potosí and Oruro. Just a month earlier, 19 people were killed in a similar accident when a bus veered off the road near Potosí.
Government data indicates that approximately 1,400 people die in road accidents each year in Bolivia, a country with a population of around 12 million.
