Cape Verde bus crash kills 25 schoolchildren

At least 25 people, most of them children and teenagers, were killed when a bus carrying students plunged into a deep ravine on Fogo Island in Cape Verde.

The crash took place late Saturday night (September 5) as the bus was returning to São Filipe with 32 passengers after an educational trip to the village of Chã das Caldeiras.

José Canuto, Civil Defence chief on Fogo Island, confirmed the death toll and said several other children were seriously injured.

The bus driver, who was also among those killed, had organised the annual educational excursion at his own expense for local students, continuing a tradition he had maintained for years.

Emergency crews worked through the night to rescue passengers trapped inside the wreckage, which came to rest in a remote and rocky ravine, according to local authorities.

Seven victims were buried early Sunday, while funerals for the remaining victims were scheduled later in the day, local broadcaster RCV reported.

Deadly road crashes of this scale are relatively uncommon in Cape Verde, a West African island nation known for generally good road conditions and vehicle maintenance standards.