A passenger bus accident in eastern Algeria has claimed 25 lives while leaving 44 others injured, according to the latest figures released by the country’s Civil Protection Authority on Friday.
The death toll increased throughout the day after initial reports recorded 11 fatalities and 38 injured victims. Authorities warned that the number of casualties could continue to rise as rescue operations remain ongoing.
Following the tragedy, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared three days of national mourning and pledged firm action against any parties found responsible for the accident.
The Civil Protection Authority said rescue teams were still carrying out search, evacuation and recovery efforts at the scene, while injured victims had been transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Deputy Director of Information and Awareness at Algeria’s Civil Protection Authority, Nassim Bernawi, said the bus veered off its route before plunging down a slope in Boumerdes Province, an area located east of Algiers and about 50 kilometres from the capital.
He said emergency personnel continued efforts to locate and assist victims at the crash site before transferring the injured to medical facilities.
The bus was travelling from Setif Province, located about 166 kilometres east of Boumerdes, when it lost control on a bypass road in the Rahmoun El Karma area within Boumerdes Municipality.
Authorities said investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing, while the current casualty figures remain provisional pending the completion of rescue operations.
