NEED TO KNOW
- At least 18 people died and nine were injured after a bus plunged into the Oued El Harrach river in Algiers, Algeria
- After the Aug. 15 crash, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced a day-long national mourning
- “With profound sorrow, I pay tribute to the memory of our fellow citizens who died in this tragic accident,” Tebboune said
At least 18 people died and another nine were injured after a bus skidded off a bridge and plunged into a river in Algeria.
On Friday, Aug. 15, the bus was traveling near the Oued El Harrach river in Algeria’s capital of Algiers when it fell off the bridge into the river, according to both Algeria’s Press Service and local outlet AL24.
Lieutenant Nasim Bernawi, deputy director of statistics and information at the country’s Civil Protection Directorate, confirmed the death toll to local media, sharing on Friday that two injured passengers were in critical condition and have been “stabilized” while those who died were transported to the hospital’s mortuary.
The crash was reported around 5:46 p.m. local time, with search operations for additional victims continuing on Friday night, per AL24.
A cause of the crash was not immediately made available.
In a statement shared by the APS, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune offered his condolences and wished “a speedy recovery to the injured.”
“With profound sorrow, I pay tribute to the memory of our fellow citizens who died in this tragic accident, following the fall of a bus into Oued El Harrach,” his statement, translated in English, read.
“In this moment of grief that has touched us all, I extend my sincere condolences and deep sympathy to the bereaved families, praying that Almighty Allah may bestow His mercy upon the departed, grant them a place in His vast paradise and provide patience and solace to their loved ones,” Tebboune continued.
Tebboune also shared a message to his Facebook page, as the country’s leader announced a day-long national mourning beginning Friday evening, involving the lowering of the national flag.
Roughly 25 ambulances, 16 divers, and four boats arrived at the scene to assist with the search on Friday, according to the U.S. Sun, which cited a statement from Algeria’s Civil Protection Service.
Footage from after the crash, shared by the outlet, showed several first responders in red boats and in various vehicles as they surrounded the water, coordinated with each other and eventually brought the bus back to solid ground.
Additional images from the scene showed the damage to the bus, which included dents along the top and sides, broken doors and several missing parts. Per the Sun, first responders and residents jumped into the water to rescue victims before authorities arrived.
General Saïd Chanegriha of the Algerian People’s National Army was among those to visit victims on Saturday, Aug. 16, according to the APS, as he made stops at the Army Central Hospital in Ain Naâdja, the Salim Zemirli Specialized Hospital in El Harrach and Mustapha Bacha University Hospital Center.
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