Cape Verde Bus Crash Survivors Stable as Toll Reaches 25
Cape Verde’s Health Minister, Lúcio Miranda, confirmed on Sunday that the 14 survivors of a catastrophic bus crash on Fogo Island are showing “favorable progress,” though two remains in critical enough condition to require emergency transfer to the capital.
Critical Care and Medical Transfers
Following a meeting of the government’s emergency crisis cabinet, Minister Miranda announced that two survivors would be flown to the Dr. Agostinho Neto Hospital in Praia on Santiago Island for specialized care. These patients are suffering from severe injuries, including cranial and abdominal trauma as well as multiple fractures.
“When we say the evolution is favorable, it means that clinically the patient’s vital parameters are improving,” Miranda explained, as reported by the news agency Inforpress. Of the original 14 hospitalized, one survivor has already been discharged, while others remain under close observation.
Emergency Response Winds Down
The tragedy prompted a swift mobilization of the country’s medical resources. Specialized teams were deployed from the islands of Praia and São Vicente to bolster the local healthcare infrastructure on Fogo. With the survivors now stabilized, these external medical teams are scheduled to return to their home bases today.
The Minister also emphasized that the government is looking beyond the immediate crisis, stating that authorities are already coordinating post-discharge support and rehabilitation plans for the survivors.
National Tragedy on Fogo Island
The accident, which has shocked the archipelago, occurred on Saturday in the locality of Campanas de Cima, within the municipality of Santa Catarina do Fogo. A bus carrying 39 people—including several students—veered off the road and plunged approximately 30 meters down a steep embankment.
The crash resulted in 25 fatalities, making it one of the deadliest road accidents in the nation’s recent history. In response to the scale of the loss, the Cape Verdean government has declared two days of national mourning to honor the victims.
Image: Pexels – Cheng
