Brazil: At least 16 people, including four children, were killed after a bus returning from a religious festival veered off the road on a curve and overturned in northeast Brazil.
The bus was carrying around 60 passengers when it crashed in a rural area of Alagoas state, ejecting some occupants while others were trapped beneath the wreckage. Rescue teams described the operation as complex due to the severity of the accident.
In a statement, the Alagoas regional government confirmed that the victims included seven women, five men and four children. Authorities said the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
no resgate e atendimento às vítimas.
Diante dessa tragédia que entristece todo o nosso estado, decretei luto oficial de 3 dias em Alagoas.
Me solidarizo com os familiares e amigos neste momento de dor tão grande.— Paulo Dantas (@paulodantasal) February 3, 2026
Brazilian media reported that the bus was returning from celebrations for Our Lady of Candelaria, a major religious festival held annually on February 2 in the northeastern state of Ceara, which draws thousands of devotees.
Colonel Andre Madeiro, director of the Alagoas Aviation Department, which assisted in the rescue efforts, stated that, “The bus went off the road on a curve, overturned, and some people were thrown out. Some were trapped under the vehicle. It was a very bad accident, even atypical.”
Images shared on social media platform X showed the severely damaged bus lying on its side, while injured passengers waited nearby for emergency assistance. Survivors, including a seriously injured child, were taken to hospital and remain under medical care.
Alagoas Governor Paulo Dantas expressed condolences to the victims’ families, announcing three days of official mourning in the state. Paulo Dantas stated that, “I express my solidarity with the families and friends at this time of such great pain.”
The crash adds to a series of deadly road accidents in Brazil. In October, 17 people were killed in a bus accident in the northeastern state of Pernambuco. According to the Ministry of Transportation, more than 10,000 people died in traffic accidents across Brazil in 2024.
In December last year, at least 32 people were killed when a passenger bus collided with a truck on a highway in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais. Another incident in 2024 saw a bus carrying a football team overturn, killing three people.
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