At least 17 people died and more than 40 were injured in a series of bus accidents on various departmental routes in Antioquia in less than two weeks.
According to information from The timeThe latest emergency was recorded on the highway that connects Medellín with the Urabá subregion, where a Cootransuroccidente bus lost control and veered off the road as it approached the municipality of Chigorodó.
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Although the incident caused panic among passengers, Authorities confirmed there were no serious injuries.. According to the media, one traveler reported that “it was a miracle that the bus did not tip over or fall into the depths” while the company was organizing transport for users to continue their journey in the middle of the Christmas season.
This case joins a series of emergencies that have affected the mobility and safety of travelers in the department.
Between December 22nd and 23rd, two accidents on mountain routes highlighted the difficulties faced by intercity buses in Antioquia. The first of them was on the Santa Elena route. A bus traveling from Rionegro to Medellín fell into a 50-meter-high abyss after colliding with a delivery truck. The vehicle was carrying 25 people, 12 of whom were injured. Rescuing some of the occupants required extensive work by the fire department.
The second was on the road to Ituango. A Servinci bus carrying workers connected to the Hidroituango Works lost control on a curve. It hit a house and landed in a ravine. The result was: 12 injured, three of them in critical condition.
These two mishaps have highlighted the vulnerability of mountain routes and the need for stricter controls. both in the mechanical condition of the vehicles and in the training of the drivers.
The deadliest accident occurred on December 14 in the El Chispero section between Remedios and Zaragoza. A bus carrying an excursion of newly graduated students from the Liceo Antioqueño de Bello crashed while returning from Tolú and Coveñas. The death toll was 17, including 16 students and the driver, and nearly 20 injured.
This was revealed by investigations by the Superintendency of Transportation The vehicle in question had previous mechanical defects, lacked functional seat belts and its technical-mechanical inspection would have been altered.. As a result, the national government ordered the company Precoltur and the Automotive Diagnostic Center (CDA), which were involved in the inspection of the vehicle, to be suspended for six months.
In response, the authorities decided to temporarily suspend the operations of the company involved in the Remedios tragedy and the corresponding CDA. In addition, travelers were again advised to check the condition of the vehicles before setting off and report any irregularities found.
According to various media, the December balance sheet reflects a critical situation for inter-municipal transport in Antioquia, with a direct impact on the mobility of thousands of people. The recurrence of accidents in a short period of time has highlighted the need for a review of the safety protocols and technical controls of passenger buses.
Various sectors have called for a strengthening of technical controls and a review of mechanical inspection systems after irregularities were found in the worst accident of the month. Road users demand guarantees to prevent new accidents and demand that companies assume their responsibilities in complying with current regulations.
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