At least 25 people died Friday morning after a passenger bus veered off the road and overturned near Boumerdes [1].
The crash represents one of the region's deadliest road accidents this year, prompting an immediate national response from the highest levels of the Algerian government.
The vehicle was traveling from Setif to Algiers when it skidded off the road and plunged into a ravine [1], [2]. The accident occurred near the coastal town of Boumerdes in the Boumerdes province, located east of the capital [1], [2]. While some reports indicate the death toll has reached at least 27 [3], official counts from the Anadolu Agency confirm at least 25 fatalities [1].
A spokesperson for Civil Protection said 44 people were injured in the accident [1]. Emergency crews worked to recover victims from the wreckage of the bus as it lay in the ravine.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune responded to the tragedy by declaring three days of national mourning [2]. The president's order follows the confirmation of the high casualty count from the morning crash.
Government officials have also visited the sites of recovery and medical care. Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited the hospital to see the injured [3]. The prime minister's visit aimed to oversee the medical response for the 44 survivors currently receiving treatment [1].
Authorities have not yet detailed the specific cause of the crash, though the vehicle is reported to have veered sharply before the fall [2]. Investigations into the road conditions and the mechanical state of the bus are expected to follow.
“President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared three days of national mourning.”
The scale of the casualties and the subsequent declaration of national mourning underscore the severity of road safety challenges in Algeria. The use of a national mourning period for a transit accident highlights the political sensitivity of infrastructure and public safety failures in the Boumerdes province.
