International
oi-Ashish Rana
A devastating road crash in southern Brazil’s Parana state killed at least 23 people and left five others injured early Wednesday after a minibus carrying healthcare workers, patients and relatives collided head-on with a truck, police said. The crash happened around 3:30 a.m. near Ipiranga.
Twenty-three people, including two children, died and five were injured in southern Brazil’s Parana state when a truck crossed into the wrong lane, colliding head-on with a minibus near Ipiranga early Wednesday morning.
Truck Crossed Into Oncoming Lane
According to Brazil’s traffic police, the truck was travelling in the opposite direction and was not carrying any cargo when it apparently crossed into incoming traffic. It then struck the minibus carrying passengers on the highway near Ipiranga, a city with about 14,000 residents.
Preliminary findings point to the truck entering the wrong side of the road, although authorities are continuing to investigate the exact cause of the collision.
21 Adults, Two Children Killed
Police said the minibus was carrying a mix of healthcare workers, patients and some family members. The victims included 21 adults and two children, while five other people were injured in the crash.
The scale of the tragedy highlights the risks faced by passengers and commercial vehicles travelling on highways during the early morning hours.
Emergency Teams Continue Rescue Work
Emergency crews and local police remained at the scene several hours after the collision as they dealt with the wreckage and assisted victims.
Television footage from TV Globo showed the truck stopped on the grassy roadside and the minibus badly crushed. Broken glass and passengers’ belongings were scattered around the crash site. Authorities are expected to continue investigating the circumstances that led to the deadly collision.
