Tragically, thirty-one individuals lost their lives, while another ten sustained injuries of varying degrees, including some who are critically injured, in a devastating bus accident in south-eastern Mali. The bus, which was transporting passengers to Burkina Faso, took a fatal plunge from a bridge. This distressing news was officially released by the Ministry of Transport.
The Ministry’s statement shed light on the probable cause of the accident, suggesting that the driver may have lost control of the vehicle. This lack of control, they suspect, led to the catastrophic turn of events. Further details provided by the Ministry reveal that the accident transpired around 4pm (as per Italian time) on the bridge that spans over the Bagoe river, located on national road 7. The specific section of the road where the accident took place is the stretch between Niéna and Koumantou.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Just eight days prior, another horrific accident claimed the lives of fifteen people when a bus and a truck collided. The frequency of road accidents in Mali is concerning, and they are generally attributed to the poor condition of both the roads and the vehicles that ply on them. This highlights the urgent need for improvements in road and vehicle safety measures in the country.
