Cape Verde School Bus Crash: 25 Killed

Cape Verde is mourning after a devastating bus crash on Fogo Island killed at least 25 people, many of them school-going children and teenagers. The bus was carrying 32 passengers when it reportedly veered off a mountainous road and plunged about 30 metres into a rocky ravine.

At least 19 people survived the Fogo Island bus crash with injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.

The tragedy has left families and communities across the island devastated, while the Cape Verdean government has declared two days of national mourning.

Key Facts About the Fogo Island Bus Crash

• At least 25 people were killed in the crash on Fogo Island.
• Many of the victims were primary and secondary school students.
• The bus was carrying 32 passengers.
• The vehicle reportedly plunged about 30 metres into a ravine.
• At least 19 injured survivors were taken to hospital.
• The crash happened along the mountainous Campanas de Cima route.
• Cape Verde has declared two days of national mourning.

How the Cape Verde Bus Crash Happened

The accident occurred late on Saturday, September 5, 2026, along the mountainous Campanas de Cima route on Fogo Island.

According to preliminary reports, the bus was carrying 32 people when the driver reportedly lost control. The vehicle then left the road and plunged approximately 30 metres into a steep and rocky ravine.

Many of the passengers were young people from the communities of Curral Grande and Ponta Verde.

They had been returning from a day trip to Chã das Caldeiras, a settlement located within the volcanic landscape surrounding Pico do Fogo.

The excursion was reportedly an annual tradition for some of the students, making the tragedy even more devastating for their families and communities.

Beloved Bus Driver Was Also Among the Victims

The trip was reportedly arranged privately rather than being an official school excursion.

The driver, known affectionately by residents as Sr. Djedjinho, had regularly transported many of the students to school.

He was also known for taking the children on a free excursion during the school holiday period.

What was intended to be a joyful day out ended in tragedy, with the driver himself among those who died in the Fogo Island bus crash.

Difficult Rescue Operation After the Crash

Rescue teams faced extremely difficult conditions as they attempted to reach the wreckage.

The bus had come to rest at the bottom of a rugged valley, making access particularly challenging after nightfall.

Civil protection personnel, firefighters and medical teams worked for hours in darkness, using flashlights as they searched through the wreckage and attempted to reach survivors.

Some passengers were reportedly trapped inside the severely damaged bus, while others were thrown from the vehicle during the crash.

Rescuers eventually recovered and transported at least 19 injured passengers to São Francisco de Assis Regional Hospital in São Filipe.

Several survivors remained under medical observation. Two teenage girls were reportedly in critical condition.

Families Mourn Victims as Cape Verde Declares National Mourning

The Cape Verde bus crash has sent shockwaves across the island nation.

The loss of so many lives, particularly young students, has brought communities together in mourning as families await the final arrangements for their loved ones.

Authorities said the condition of some of the victims’ remains meant that seven people had to be buried shortly after the accident.

Mass funeral services for other victims were later held at São Lourenço Church, where relatives, friends and residents gathered to pay their final respects.

Cape Verde President José Maria Pereira Neves visited the crash site and expressed his sorrow over the deaths, particularly the large number of young people among the victims.

The government subsequently declared two days of national mourning.

Investigation Underway Into Fogo Island Crash

An investigation has been launched to determine exactly what caused the bus to leave the mountainous road.

Authorities will be expected to examine a number of factors, including the condition of the road, the vehicle and the circumstances surrounding the driver’s loss of control.

The crash has also renewed concerns about road safety on Fogo Island’s mountainous routes, where steep terrain and sharp drops can make accidents particularly dangerous.

Residents and affected families have called for stronger safety measures along roads where there may be limited protection against vehicles leaving the carriageway.

Questions have also been raised about whether additional guardrails, protective barriers and other road-safety measures could reduce the risk of similar tragedies in the future.

Investigators are now working to establish what happened and whether anything could have been done to prevent the disaster.

A Nation Grieves After the Fogo Island Tragedy

For Cape Verde, the crash represents a devastating loss.

But for the families of the victims, the tragedy is deeply personal. Parents, relatives, friends and communities are now mourning children and loved ones whose lives were cut short during what was supposed to be a simple day trip.

The investigation may eventually provide answers about what caused the Fogo Island bus crash.

For those left behind, however, no explanation can undo the loss.

The memories of the young lives lost on Fogo Island will remain with their families and with a nation now united in grief.