Bus accident in Ivory Coast kills at least 16 people, officials say

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — A tragic accident involving a long-distance bus and a dump truck in Ivory Coast has resulted in the loss of at least 16 lives and left over 50 individuals injured, according to the Transportation Ministry.

The bus was en route from the southwestern city of San Pedro in Ivory Coast to neighboring Burkina Faso when the collision with the dump truck occurred on Sunday evening, as reported by the ministry.

The tragic incident claimed the lives of 16 individuals, with 51 others sustaining injuries and being transported to a nearby hospital, the ministry confirmed later on Sunday. An investigation has been launched by the ministry to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Ivory Coast currently faces one of the highest rates of road fatalities globally, with approximately 21 deaths per 100,000 individuals, according to the United Nations. The Transportation Ministry of Ivory Coast reports that around 1,000 people lose their lives in road accidents in the country each year.

In a similar incident last December, a collision involving two minibuses resulted in the tragic loss of 26 lives and left 28 individuals injured.