14 killed in head-on collision in Bolivia

News Desk :
A total of 14 people were killed when a minibus and a tractor-trailer collided head-on Thursday on a highway that links the Bolivian departments of Oruro and Potosi, local authorities said.
“The driver of the tractor-trailer, which was transporting salt from Potosi, presumably fell asleep due to fatigue, losing control of the vehicle,” Julio Larrea, Oruro’s director of transportation and road safety, told local media.
He said, “A long braking mark was observed and he was unable to return to his lane, which caused the head-on collision with the minibus,” reports Xinhua.
The accident took place in Vichuloma, a town at the border exit between Oruro and Potosi, said Larrea.
He added the death toll could rise due to some of the badly injuried, including a passenger on the minibus and another who was riding in the trailer, both of whom were transferred to nearby hospitals.
The official called on motorists to respect speed limits to prevent similar tragedies, noting that accidents on that highway are frequent due to speeding.
Local police official Julio Larrea said there were “nine women, four men (and) a child” among the dead.
Larrea said the driver of the truck, which was loaded with salt, had veered across the road and hit the oncoming bus.
The accident occurred on a road linking the Andean towns of Oruro and Potosi.
“Lane encroachment, excessive speed and a lack of caution,” caused the accident, another local police official, Adet Cabrera, told the TV channel Red Uno from the scene of the accident.
The driver of the truck, who survived the accident, was transported to a private clinic under police guard, according to Cabrera.
The bus was carrying 15 people, including the driver, who died in the accident.