Cape Verde Residents Demand Road Safety After Tragic Crash
SÃO FILIPE, Cape Verde — The scenic route leading to Cape Verde’s iconic Fogo volcano is known for its breathtaking vistas, but for those who drive it daily, it is a gauntlet of steep descents, hairpin turns, and unprotected cliffs. Following a catastrophic bus plunge that killed 25 people on Tuesday, residents and drivers are demanding urgent safety upgrades to a road they describe as a death trap.
A Path Between Beauty and Danger
The road, which connects the city of São Filipe to rural communities and the Chã das Caldeiras volcanic region, is a primary artery for the island’s tourism. Despite being only four years old, the route has quickly gained a reputation for peril.
“I travel this route many times. It is a very dangerous place,” Luis Gomes, a 35-year-old driver of a ‘hiace’—the collective transport vans common in Cape Verde—told Lusa. “It has steep drops, no protection, no signage, and no lighting. People love to visit the volcano, but the fear has now reached a breaking point.”
Visibility and Infrastructure Gaps
Driving conditions on Fogo are dictated by the island’s volatile weather. At higher altitudes, dense fog frequently rolls in, reducing visibility to nearly zero. Gerson Moeda, a taxi driver since 2017, recalled a trip that usually takes 30 minutes stretching into an hour because he could not see the road ahead.
“It has many curves and ravines with no lighting,” Moeda said. “We take precautions, but for those who don’t know the road, it’s much worse.”
António Fortes, 65, highlighted the structural flaws of the road itself. “It is very narrow. In some sections, two cars can barely pass each other. When you add rain and a steep incline, braking becomes incredibly complicated. You find yourself traveling almost at a standstill just to stay on the pavement.”
Daily Risks for Students and Tourists
The road is not just for tourists; it is a lifeline for locals. Zaide de Pina, a fruit vendor, noted that the ‘hiaces’ are often packed with students commuting to school in São Filipe. “It is not an appropriate road for daily traffic,” she warned.
A journey along the route reveals a landscape of volcanic slopes and blind rises. In many spots, drivers are forced to pull onto the shoulder—often inches from a drop-off—to allow oncoming traffic to pass. The threat of rockfalls from the parched, drought-stricken slopes adds another layer of danger.
Calls for Accountability
In the wake of the tragedy, which claimed the lives of 25 people—mostly students and young adults—the Cape Verdean government has declared two days of national mourning. Medical and psychological support teams have been deployed to the island to assist grieving families.
Nuías Silva, the Mayor of São Filipe, has called for a comprehensive safety evaluation. While he cautioned against jumping to conclusions before the official investigation is complete, he urged the national government to install guardrails on all dangerous mountain passes.
Estradas de Cabo Verde, the state company managing the road network, has dispatched teams to survey the site. However, officials noted the inherent difficulty of building in mountainous terrain like Fogo, Santiago, and São Nicolau. “We will never eliminate road risks entirely,” a spokesperson stated, though they acknowledged that specific safety interventions are necessary for these high-altitude routes.
For the residents of Fogo, the message is clear. “Intervention is needed so that any car can circulate safely,” said Fortes. “I won’t go back there until it is.”
Image: Pexels – Soma Stilling
