A passenger bus has plunged into a steep ravine on the Cape Verdean island of Fogo, killing at least 25 people and injuring many more, authorities have confirmed.
The crash occurred on a rural road on Fogo, with rescue teams, police and medical personnel massed at the scene as the operation to reach survivors continued.
The island’s civil protection service said emergency crews were working to extract victims and transport the injured to local hospitals, where capacity was being stretched by the high number of casualties.
Officials warned that the toll could rise as more people are accounted for and rescue efforts proceed in difficult terrain.
A full investigation into the cause of the crash is expected to be launched by Cape Verdean authorities, with road conditions and vehicle maintenance among the potential factors under scrutiny.
The incident comes as Cape Verde contends with ongoing public safety challenges on its narrow, winding road networks, particularly in rural areas on islands such as Fogo.
Authorities have not yet released further details about the nationalities of those involved or the exact location of the ravine, and the situation remains fluid as more information becomes available from the scene.
