At least 31 dead and 15 injured after bus plunges into ravine in Bolivia

At least 31 people died and 15 were injured on Monday in Bolivia after an interprovincial transport bus plunged into an 800-metre ravine after veering off the road in the Andean region of Potosí, police reported. The bus had departed from the city of Potosí in the morning and was heading to the city of Oruro, 311 kilometres away, according to the police.

The police chief explained that firefighters and other rescuers recovered the 31 lifeless bodies, which were taken to the morgue of the public hospital in Potosí. The location where the bus fell is a "very steep slope" road, full of curves that must be navigated, adding to the suspicion that the driver was speeding and at some point lost control, plunging into the abyss.

Among the 15 injured are four children who, according to the medical report, are in intensive care with fractures in various parts of their bodies, while the adults have fractures and other abdominal injuries requiring further examination for a better diagnosis. Traffic accident specialists remained at the scene to conduct studies and determine the cause of the bus's fall.

Road accidents in Bolivia claim around 1,400 lives and injure about 40,000 people annually, mostly due to human errors that can be prevented, according to official data.