Portugal Mourns Victims of Tragic Cape Verde Bus Crash
Portugal’s Parliament officially expressed its profound grief on Monday following a devastating bus accident in Cape Verde that claimed the lives of 25 people, the majority of whom were children and young students.
A Nation in Mourning
The tragedy occurred last Saturday night in the town of Campanas de Cima, located in the Santa Catarina do Fogo municipality on Fogo Island. A bus carrying students home from a field trip veered off the road and plunged approximately 30 meters down a steep ravine. In addition to the fatalities, the crash left numerous passengers injured, some in critical condition.
The condolence motion was presented by the President of Parliament, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, and received unanimous approval from the Standing Committee. The committee is the legislative body currently managing affairs while the Assembly of the Republic is in recess.
Unbreakable Ties
In the official motion, the Assembly emphasized the deep connection between the two nations, describing Cape Verde as a “brother country” linked to Portugal by “historical, cultural, and human ties of particular proximity.”
“This tragedy deeply shook the Cape Verdean people and prompted international expressions of solidarity, which extended to Portugal and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP),” the text stated.
Honoring the Victims
By approving the vote, the Portuguese Parliament formally paid tribute to the memory of those who lost their lives and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and the injured. The disaster has sparked a wave of mourning across the Lusophone world, highlighting the close-knit relationship between Portugal and its former colony.
Image: Pexels – Bibi Kiekens
