Two Days Of National Mourning Declared In Cabo Verde Following Fogo Island Bus Accident

Praia: The government of Cabo Verde announced two days of official national mourning following the fatal bus crash on Fogo Island that resulted in 25 deaths.

Under a resolution approved by the Council of Ministers, national flags will be flown at half-mast at public buildings across the country as well as at Cabo Verde's diplomatic and consular missions abroad during the mourning period. Public celebrations and performances will also be canceled.

The resolution took effect at midnight on Sunday.

Prime Minister Francisco Carvalho, who traveled to Fogo on Sunday along with the ministers of health and justice, said 25 people were killed and 14 others injured in the accident.
Carvalho said the government had set up a crisis response team and sent a 16-member medical team, including doctors and nurses, to Fogo to reinforce local medical services.

The government is also in contact with international partners over the possible evacuation of patients requiring specialized treatment, he said.

President Jose Maria Neves also traveled to Fogo on Sunday, expressing solidarity with the victims' families and calling for psychological support for those affected by the tragedy. He said the causes of the accident should be investigated to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

The accident occurred on Saturday when a passenger bus traveling between Cha das Caldeiras and Campanas de Cima on Fogo Island went off the road. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

MENAFN07092026000063011010ID1111630073