Disasters & Incidents
Brazil bus and truck crash kills at least 23, police say
A head-on collision between a bus carrying medical patients and a truck killed at least 23 people early Wednesday in southern Brazil, highway police said.
Police said the crash happened at about 3:30 am local time in the municipality of Ipiranga, in Parana state, when the truck veered into the bus's lane. Most of the victims were on the bus, authorities said, and the truck driver was also killed.
The bus belonged to the Imbituva health department and was taking patients to medical centres in Curitiba. Authorities had not provided information about the truck's other occupants.
A company managing the highway initially said the crash took place in Imbituva, where the bus began its journey. The road, which connects southern Brazil with Sao Paulo state, remained closed hours later, causing a long backup of vehicles.
Fatal traffic accidents are common in Brazil. Eight people died on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro state when a bus overturned, and at least 16 people were killed in February when a bus returning from a religious festival in northeastern Brazil veered off the road and overturned.
Update
Highway police said at least 23 people were killed, up from the earlier figure of at least 21.
Police said the crash occurred in Ipiranga, Parana state, after an initial highway operator statement placed it in Imbituva.
Police said the truck veered into the bus's lane.
The truck driver was among those killed.
The bus belonged to the Imbituva health department and was carrying patients to medical centres in Curitiba.
The highway remained closed hours later, causing a long traffic backup.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 August 2026 at 13:13:00 UTC.
Update
Local media reported the passenger vehicle was transporting patients to various medical centers.
Authorities had not provided information about the truck's occupants.
Local press images showed a badly damaged bus with a sign for people with disabilities beside a truck.
The crash happened on a highway connecting southern Brazil with Sao Paulo state.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 August 2026 at 11:41:59 UTC.
Update
The crash was a head-on collision in Imbituva, in southern Brazil's Parana state.
Via Araucaria said four people were injured.
Via Araucaria, which operates several highways in Parana state, said 21 bus passengers had died.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 August 2026 at 11:29:59 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Authorities had not provided information about the truck's occupants beyond the driver.
The highway operator initially gave Imbituva as the crash location before police placed it in Ipiranga.
Source
AFP news report published on .