At least 26 people lost their lives, including 10 who were burned, in a deadly collision between two minibuses on the Daloa-Issia road in western Ivory Coast on Friday, the country’s transport ministry reported. Another 28 people were injured in the crash.
Oumar Sacko, director general of land transport, confirmed the tragedy, adding that authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident, which caused significant human and material losses.
This latest incident follows a pattern of frequent and fatal road accidents in Ivory Coast, attributed to poorly maintained roads and vehicles and unqualified drivers.
In similar accidents earlier this year, 20 people died near Gagnoa last month, while 13 were burned to death in a car-tanker collision in the north in September.
According to the transport ministry, the country records between 1,000 and 1,500 traffic-related fatalities annually, with 1.5 million vehicles in circulation. Efforts to curb accidents include road maintenance, vehicle import restrictions, driver’s licence reforms, and increased surveillance through video cameras. Despite these measures, road safety remains a significant challenge.
