Dozens killed in Senegal bus accident, 3 days of national mourning declared
- Two buses collided near town of Kaffrine in central Senegal; at least 40 people died and around 78 were injured, many of them seriously
- President Sall said government council will be held to ‘take firm measures on road safety’; accidents are common, in part because of poor roads and decrepit vehicles
At least 40 people were killed and dozens injured in a bus crash in central Senegal, the country’s president said on Sunday.
President Macky Sall tweeted that the collision happened in Gnivy village, in the Kaffrine region, at about 3.30am local time.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic road accident today in Gniby causing 40 deaths and many serious injuries. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured,” said Sall.
He declared three days of mourning starting on Monday and said he will hold an interministerial council to discuss road safety measures.
Public prosecutor Cheikh Dieng said the crash happened when a public bus punctured a tyre and veered across the road, colliding with another bus coming from the opposite direction. At least 78 people are injured, some of them seriously, he said.
Images of the crash on social media show the damaged buses rammed into each other and a trail of debris along the road.
Traffic crashes happen regularly in the West African nation because of poor roads, bad cars and drivers not adhering to the rules, locals say.