At least eight people, including two children, have been killed after a bus overturned in a horror crash in Colombia, with reports suggesting the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel. A further 20 people were rushed to hospital following the devastating collision on Saturday morning, which left the coach lying on its side after it careered off the road.
The bus was travelling from Florencia, in the Caquetá region, towards the capital Bogotá when disaster struck on Route 45 in the Huila region. Emergency services raced to the scene and worked to rescue survivors from the wreckage, with the injured taken to hospitals across the Neiva region.
Authorities have confirmed that eight people died in the smash, including two children. Police are reportedly investigating whether the 26-year-old driver fell asleep behind the wheel, although officials have yet to establish the precise cause of the crash.
Road authorities said in a preliminary statement: “According to preliminary information, the vehicle was traveling south to north when, upon reaching kilometre 94.5, the driver lost control of the vehicle.” An investigation has now been launched to establish exactly what happened in the moments before the bus overturned.
The tragedy happened during a holiday weekend marking Cartagena’s Independence from Spain. The crash comes amid growing concerns over road safety in Colombia. Figures from road safety officials show that 4,751 people died in traffic accidents across the country between January and June 2026, a 20% increase on the same period last year.
The bus was travelling during a holiday weekend when many people across Colombia were expected to be on the roads, marking the anniversary of Cartagena’s Independence from Spain.
The latest figures highlight the scale of the country’s road safety problem, with thousands of people losing their lives in traffic accidents during the first half of this year alone.
The 20% rise in fatalities compared with the same six-month period in 2025 represents a significant increase, according to road safety officials.
The latest crash is also not the first time a serious collision involving a bus has caused devastation on Colombian roads.
Last November, a dumper lorry carrying a 17-tonne load and reportedly suffering from brake failure crashed into 12 cars and forced a bus off the road.
Footage of that incident showed the vehicle speeding downhill before ploughing into traffic. Authorities said 12 other vehicles were involved in the chain collision.
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