At least 40 dead after two buses smash into each other in devastating crash

08 January 2023 , 15:02

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At least 40 dead after two buses smash into each other in devastating crash

At least 40 people have been killed and dozens more hurt in a head-on bus smash.

The crash happened in the village of Gnivy, in the Kaffrine region of Senegal, at about 3.30am on Sunday, the country's president Macky Sall said in a tweet.

"I am deeply saddened by the tragic road accident today in Gniby causing 40 deaths and many serious injuries," he said.

"I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured."

Senegalese authorities have since cleared the wreckage and debris caused by the crash and normal traffic has resumed.

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Mr Sall declared three days of mourning, starting on Monday, and said he will hold an inter-ministerial council to discuss road safety measures.

At least 40 people have been killed and dozens more hurt in a head-on bus smash (AFP via Getty Images)

A public bus was driving on National Road Number One, which connects the country's west and east, when its tyre blew, causing it to veer into the path of bus coming the other way, public prosecutor Cheik Dieng said.

Colonel Cheikh Fall, head of the Senegalese National Fire Brigade, told reporters: “It was a serious accident.”

At least 78 people are hurt, including some seriously, he said.

The tyre of one bus blew and caused it to veer into the path of another driving the other way (AFP via Getty Images)

Images of the crash on social media show the damaged buses rammed into each other and a trail of debris along the road.

Crashes happen regularly in the West African nation due to poor roads, bad cars and drivers not following the rules, locals say.

In 2017, at least 25 people were killed when two buses crashed.

Many were heading toward the central town of Touba for the annual Muslim pilgrimage.

The carnage of the aftermath of the bus crash (AFP via Getty Images)

This comes as four people died and over 50 people were hospitalised after a bus rolled over on an “extremely icy” motorway on Christmas Eve near the city of Merritt, about 170 miles northeast of Vancouver in Canada.

Emergency responders said 52 people were taken to the nearest hospital and 36 of them were treated for injuries that ranged from minor to serious.

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The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said an investigation into the crash was ongoing but that “it is believed that extremely icy road conditions caused the rollover”.

The temperature was about -6C in Merritt around the time of the crash, according to weather records.

Douglas Patient