Morocco: Athletes' bus collides with tanker truck, 31 people burn to death

On April 10, a bus carrying young athletes and Moroccan government officials crashed head-on into a gasoline tanker in the Moroccan desert, causing both vehicles to burst into flames and killing 31 people.

The bus caught fire after colliding with a tanker truck.

The horrific collision left nine people seriously injured, and the death toll is expected to rise. Local media reported that most of the victims were young athletes between the ages of 8 and 14.

“There were many completely charred bodies at the scene,” said Benmane Fadli, a local transport official. “We are currently contacting the bus company to identify the victims.”

The accident happened at 7 a.m. local time in the Chbika district near the desert city of Tan-Tan, according to Moroccan state news agency MAP, where the bus crashed head-on into the tanker and then burst into flames, engulfing both vehicles.

The bus was completely burned after the tragic accident.

The bus was reportedly carrying young athletes to a national sports competition in Morocco. Les Ecos newspaper reported that the group of young athletes came from cities in southern Morocco, in the Western Sahara region.

According to the newspaper, 31-year-old famous athlete Hassan Issengar was among those killed in the tragic accident.

Road accidents are on the rise in Morocco as car ownership has nearly doubled in the past 15 years, according to the AP. Officials estimate that about 10 Moroccans die every day in traffic accidents.

According to danviet.vn