A festive graduation trip turned catastrophic in northwestern Colombia when a bus carrying students plunged into a 40-meter (131-foot) ravine on Sunday, resulting in one of the nation’s most devastating traffic accidents in recent memory. The incident claimed the lives of 16 teenagers celebrating their academic achievement alongside their driver, while 20 others sustained injuries of varying severity.
The students, aged 16 to 18 from an educational institution in Bello near Medellín, were returning from a coastal celebration in the picturesque Caribbean towns of Tolu and Covenas when the tragedy struck. Emergency responders faced dual challenges in the recovery operation: difficult terrain and security concerns due to the presence of the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group operating in the crash area, requiring special protective measures for rescue teams.
Governor Andrés Julián Rendon of Antioquia Department confirmed that investigation into the accident’s cause remains ongoing. Survivor accounts emerged through social media channels, with one student recalling, ‘I was asleep and suddenly I heard screams, and from that moment on I don’t remember anything.’ The emotional impact resonated at the highest levels of government, with President Gustavo Petro expressing profound grief on social media platform X: ‘I don’t like it when young people die. Even less when they’re going to study or to relax happily.’
The tragedy highlights Colombia’s ongoing struggle with road safety, where authorities reported an average of 22 traffic-related fatalities daily throughout 2024. Complicating the situation, ELN rebels had issued a 72-hour restriction on commercial travel in regions under their control beginning Sunday for military exercises, though no direct connection to the accident has been established.