In brief
A fatal collision on Brazil’s BR‑373 on the early hours of Wednesday resulted in 23 deaths, among them two children, and five injuries. The minibus, operated by the health authorities of Imbituva, was transporting patients to Ponta Grossa and collided head‑on with a lorry at kilometre 209. Authorities are investigating the cause while the highway remains closed for nearly seven hours. The accident underscores Brazil’s ongoing road‑traffic safety challenges, where thousands of fatalities occur annually.
On the early hours of Wednesday, a minibus carrying patients and relatives from the city of Imbituva travelled toward Ponta Grossa on the BR‑373 highway in the state of Paraná. It collided head‑on with a lorry ahead of it at kilometre 209, causing a catastrophic wreck.
The crash took the lives of at least 23 people, including two children. The lorry’s driver was also killed. Five others were reported injured. Authorities say the highway was closed for roughly seven hours while forensic teams and the Federal Highway Police examined the site.
Investigations are underway to determine why the vehicles collided. Initial reports point to possible causes such as excessive speed, driver intoxication, or use of mobile phones while driving – common contributing factors in Brazil’s traffic fatalities. A World Bank study noted over 34,000 road‑traffic deaths in Brazil in 2023, most of them motorcyclists.
This tragedy follows other high‑profile crashes in Brazil, including a bus that overturned on 15 February, killing 15 people on a pilgrimage route.
