Tragic Collision Claims Lives of 37 in Bolivia's Uyuni

The collision occurred near Uyuni, sparking investigations into road safety amid rampant traffic fatalities.

In a devastating accident on Saturday morning, two passenger buses collided just 5 km (3 miles) outside of the south-western city of Uyuni, resulting in at least 37 fatalities and leaving 30 others injured, according to local police. The incident has cast a somber shadow over the region, where festivities for the Oruro Carnival were ongoing in the western city of Oruro.

Police commander Wilson Flores reported that one of the bus drivers is under intensive care while the other is in stable condition. Eyewitness accounts and images from Bolivian media depict a harrowing scene of destruction, with the bus wreckage strewn across the roadside and luggage scattered after the violent impact.

Initial investigations suggest that the cause of the mishap might have been a "lane invasion." As details unfold, hospitals in both Oruro and Potosí are receiving injured victims, although their conditions remain under assessment. The victims of this catastrophe have yet to be identified, with authorities awaiting the results of alcohol tests conducted on the drivers involved.

Traffic accidents are a major concern in Bolivia, a country that sees more than 1,400 road-related deaths annually among its 12 million inhabitants. Earlier this year, two notable incidents claimed 30 lives when a bus plunged into a ravine, and 19 were killed in another crash in the same region. The tragic event highlights the need for improved road safety measures as the national community mourns this latest loss of life.