19 Killed, Dozens injured in Senegal Road Crash

Senegal's authorities said a bus swerved to avoid hitting a donkey and collided with a truck, killing at least 19 people and injuring dozens in Senegal.

Senegalese authorities said a bus swerved to avoid hitting a donkey and collided with a truck, killing at least 19 people and injuring dozens in Senegal.

President Macky Sall tweeted that the collision occurred near Ngeun Sarr in the north of the country.

“Yet another fatal accident on our roads," he said. “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Speedy recovery to the injured."

The fire department stated that the accident involved a public bus and a pickup truck. According to local fire brigade chief Lieutenant Ouseno Ndiaye, the bus appeared to be trying to avoid hitting a donkey.

Last week, 40 people were killed in a bus crash in the village of Gnivy, in the Kaffrine region, Senegal. After that crash, the government announced reforms to try to stop collisions.

Locals noted that traffic accidents happen regularly in the West African country due to bad roads, bad cars and drivers who don't abide by the rules.

In 2017, at least 25 people were killed when two buses also crashed. Many of these people were heading toward the central city of Touba for the annual Muslim pilgrimage.