Bus Plunges Into Ravine in Algeria, Killing at Least 25

ALGIERS- At least 25 people were killed and 44 others injured after a passenger bus veered off the road and plunged into a ravine near the coastal town of Boumerdes in northern Algeria on Friday, the country’s civil defense agency said.

The accident occurred near Boumerdes, east of the capital, Algiers, at around 9:40 a.m. local time (0840 GMT). Civil defense teams were dispatched to the scene to rescue survivors, recover victims and provide emergency medical assistance.

Authorities said the bus left the roadway for reasons that remain under investigation. The civil defense agency did not provide further details on the circumstances of the crash but warned that the death toll could increase as rescue and medical operations continued.

At least 44 people sustained injuries in the accident, making it one of Algeria’s deadliest road disasters in recent years. Emergency responders transported the injured to nearby medical facilities while continuing operations at the crash site.

The latest tragedy follows a series of fatal bus accidents that have highlighted persistent road safety concerns in Algeria. In August last year, a passenger bus plunged into a ravine near Algiers, killing 18 people.

Another serious accident occurred in December when a bus overturned in the southern province of Bechar, leaving 14 people dead. Those incidents renewed calls for stronger enforcement of traffic regulations and improvements in road safety.

According to Algerian road safety authorities, human error, particularly excessive speed, remains the leading cause of traffic accidents across the country. Officials have repeatedly urged motorists and transport operators to comply with road safety regulations to reduce fatalities.

Official road safety data showed that 3,838 people were killed and more than 37,000 injured in traffic accidents across Algeria during 2025, underscoring the continuing scale of the country’s road safety challenge.

Authorities have not released information about the identities of the victims or the number of passengers who were on board the bus when the accident occurred. Investigators are expected to examine the cause of the crash as emergency services complete recovery operations.

The civil defense agency said rescue teams remained at the scene on Friday as authorities continued to assess the full impact of the accident and assist those affected.