An outing on the island of Fogo ended in tragedy. At least 25 people were killed in a bus crash in Cape Verde on Saturday, September 5, 2026. Children and teenagers were among the victims, prompting the government to declare two days of national mourning.
The vehicle was travelling through Campanas de Cima, a mountainous area of the island. It was bringing passengers back from an excursion to Chã das Caldeiras when it left the road. The bus plunged about 30 metres.
An excursion ends in tragedy
The crash occurred late in the day. The return journey was meant to take the participants home after the outing. Young passengers, including several children, were among those on board.
Other people were also injured. Initial reports differ on both the number of injured people and the victims’ ages. The death toll of 25, reported on Sunday, remains the accepted figure following the disaster.
The severity of the fall and the difficulty of reaching the site complicated the response. Civil protection teams, firefighters and ambulances were mobilised. Rescue operations continued through the night from Saturday into Sunday.
Cape Verde declares two days of mourning
President José Maria Neves described the crash as a “major catastrophe” and offered his condolences to the families. Across the archipelago, the two days of national mourning reflect the grief caused by the loss of so many lives in a single accident.
The family minister also announced that a psychological support unit would be established for the victims’ relatives. The service is intended to support families affected by the disaster.
For survivors and passengers’ relatives, the hours that followed were devoted to medical care and bereavement arrangements. The tragedy is especially painful because it claimed the lives of many young people who had set out on an excursion.
The cause remains unknown
Authorities have not yet confirmed exactly why the bus left the road. Anabela Varela, director of Cape Verdean television, publicly suggested that a tyre may have burst. However, that theory is not an official investigative finding.
Investigators must therefore determine what caused the vehicle to leave the road in the mountainous area. At this stage, there is no basis for officially attributing the crash to a specific mechanical failure or driver error.
On Fogo, the immediate priority is now to support the families and the injured. The investigation will have to provide answers about the circumstances of the deadly crash.
