School Trip Turns Tragic as Bus Plunges into Ravine in Northern Colombia, Killing Over 10

BOGOTÁ :  A school excursion ended in tragedy in northern Colombia after a bus carrying students plunged off a cliff in a rural area, killing more than 10 people and injuring at least 20 others, local authorities said on Sunday.

According to the governor of Antioquia, Andrés Julián, the bus was traveling from the Caribbean town of Tolú to Medellín following a school trip. The vehicle was transporting students from the Antioqueño High School when the accident occurred in a mountainous and remote area.

In a statement shared on social media platform X, the governor confirmed the growing death toll and said emergency services were responding at full capacity. “So far, there are more than 10 people dead and 20 injured. The entire hospital network is ready to attend to and support this emergency,” he said.

Rescue teams, paramedics, and local authorities rushed to the scene to recover victims and transport the injured to nearby hospitals. Several of the injured are reported to be in critical condition, though officials have not yet released details on the ages of the victims or the exact cause of the crash.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine what caused the bus to veer off the road. Initial reports suggest the accident occurred on a narrow and winding rural route, but mechanical failure, road conditions, and weather are also being examined.

The incident has sparked national mourning and renewed concerns over road safety in rural Colombia, where steep terrain and limited infrastructure often contribute to deadly accidents.