The Senegalese government reported on Sunday that two buses collided head-on on a main road in the central Kaffrine district overnight, killing forty people and injuring 85 others.
Images from the scene showed a white bus with its front end severely damaged, along with blood-spattered seats, scattered personal belongings, and a shoe near the crash site.
According to experts, driver error, bad roads, and outdated vehicles are the main causes of Senegal’s frequent traffic accidents, but the most recent catastrophe resulted in one of the country’s highest fatality rates from a single incident in recent memory.
The government declared three days of national mourning beginning on Monday, during which all flags would be flown at half-staff.
On Sunday, it was announced that President Macky Sall would visit the crash scene near the village of Sikilo.
The government issued a statement that read, “In light of this tragedy, the head of state sends his sincere sympathies to the families of the fatalities and wishes a rapid recovery to the injured.”
Early investigations showed that a public passenger bus experienced a burst tyre and veered off route, according to public prosecutor Cheikh Dieng, who made the remark in a press release.
Then, according to him, it collided “head-on with another bus going from the opposite direction.”
‘Tragic’
According to the statement, the event took place at around 03:30 GMT.
Abdoulaye Saidu Sow, the mayor of Kaffrine and also the minister of urbanism, described it as “a horrible accident” to AFP.
Speaking from Kaffrine, he added that on Sunday, the prime minister and numerous other ministers would join President Sall there.
In light of the incident, opposition lawmaker Ousmane Sonko tweeted that he would postpone a planned fundraiser event.
“We pay respect to the memory of the fallen, extend our heartfelt sympathies to their bereaved family members, and to all Senegalese, and pray for the merciful repose of their souls as well as a quick recovery for the injured,” he said.
The casualties were brought to a hospital and medical facility in Kaffrine, according to Colonel Cheikh Fall, who oversees operations for the National Fire Brigade.
According to him, the debris has subsequently been removed and regular traffic has returned to the route.
He stated that the governor as well as regional officials had visited the spot.
President Sall announced in a tweet that a government council would be called to “take firm steps on road safety” after the period of national mourning ended.
At least 16 people were murdered and another 15 were hurt when a bus and a refrigerated truck crashed in western Senegal in October 2020.
The fire brigade stated that the bus, which has a seating capacity of 60, was travelling to Rosso, close to the Mauritania border, and that it was unclear how many people were on board.
At the time, local media reported that the truck was transporting fish to Dakar.
