Ivory Coast bus crash death toll rises to 39, ministry says

The death toll from a bus crash in Ivory Coast earlier this month has risen to 39, with 45 people injured, the transport ministry said.

The ministry said an investigation found that the bus was overcrowded when it swerved off a bridge and fell into the Bafing River while travelling toward the political capital, Yamoussoukro.

Deadly road accidents are common in Ivory Coast. The source reported that an average of 1,000 to 1,500 people are killed each year, often because of poor road and vehicle conditions.