Portugal PM Condolences After Tragic Cape Verde Bus Crash
Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has expressed “deep dismay” following a catastrophic bus accident on Fogo Island, Cape Verde, which claimed the lives of at least 25 people, most of them children.
Portugal Stands in Solidarity with Cape Verde
In a statement released via his official account on X (formerly Twitter), Montenegro offered “heartfelt condolences” on behalf of the Portuguese government and himself to the families of the victims and the people of Cape Verde.
“Portugal is with you in this moment of pain,” the Prime Minister wrote. “To the injured, I wish a speedy recovery.”
A Community in Mourning
The tragedy occurred on Saturday night when a bus transporting students plunged approximately 30 meters (nearly 100 feet) off a road in the locality of Campanas de Cima, within the municipality of Santa Catarina do Fogo. Local authorities confirmed that the crash resulted in 25 deaths and 18 injuries.
The survivors, many of whom are between the ages of 6 and 11, are currently hospitalized. Medical officials report that four of the children remain in serious condition. In response to the disaster, the São Filipe Municipal Council has declared two days of official mourning and scheduled an extraordinary meeting to coordinate support for the grieving families.
High-Level Government Response
The scale of the accident has drawn immediate attention from Cape Verde’s top leadership. Prime Minister Francisco Carvalho arrived at the scene shortly after the crash, and President José Maria Neves traveled to Fogo Island on Sunday to oversee the response and offer support to the affected community.
Image: Pexels – Elena’s
