At least 22 dead in Bolivia, worst road accident of the year

It is the worst accident to occur in the country so far this year. A collision between a truck and a bus on a popular tourist road in the Andes in Bolivia has left at least 22 people dead, police said Saturday, July 20. Sixteen people were also injured. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry of neighboring Chile deplored the death of one of its nationals, adding that five others were injured.

The collision occurred on a commercial and tourist route linking Bolivia to northern Chile, near Santiago de Callapa, 154 kilometers southwest of the capital La Paz. According to authorities, it is the deadliest accident in Bolivia since the beginning of 2024 and the one on April 4, which killed 14 people and injured two. The bus that crashed was heading to Chile, Bolivian road police chief Nilo Torrico told Unitel television. He also explained that, according to initial investigations, the truck driver made an irregular maneuver, invading the opposite lane in an attempt to overtake a car. “In these places you cannot overtake. This truck performed this prohibited maneuver and because of this we have this unfortunate accident”he lamented.