Fifteen Pilgrims Killed as Bus Overturns in Alagoas, Governor Declares Mourning
Updated (3 articles)
Deadly rollover on curved highway kills fifteen pilgrims On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, a bus carrying roughly 60 pilgrims overturned on a curve near São José da Tapera in rural Alagoas, killing 15 people, including three children, and injuring several others [1]. Authorities say the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to roll over multiple times before coming to rest on the roadway [1]. The convoy was part of a 563‑km pilgrimage from Coité do Noia to Juazeiro do Norte for the Our Lady of Candeias festival [1].
Survivors airlifted and treated for serious injuries Emergency crews airlifted multiple survivors to nearby hospitals, with a nine‑year‑old child suffering a severe head injury identified as the most critical case [1]. Local medical teams reported that other injured passengers received treatment for fractures and contusions [1]. The rapid evacuation was coordinated by municipal authorities who arrived at the crash site within hours [1].
State officials declare mourning and pledge assistance Alagoas Governor Paulo Dantas announced a three‑day period of official mourning and expressed solidarity with victims’ families on social media [1]. Mayor Bueno Higino Filho of Coité do Noia described the loss as “immense,” noting that many of the deceased were personal acquaintances, and he traveled to the site to assist rescue efforts [1]. State agencies pledged further support for the injured and for the families of the deceased [1].
Timeline
Oct 2025 – Guatemala records 446 public‑transport vehicles involved in accidents through October, resulting in 111 deaths and more than 600 injuries, underscoring the country’s chronic road‑safety crisis on mountainous, two‑lane routes [3].
Dec 27, 2025 – An intermunicipal bus veers off the Inter‑American Highway near Totonicapán, plunges into a deep ravine, and kills 15 passengers (including 11 men, three women and a minor) while injuring at least 15 others; dense fog in the Solola Department hampers visibility and rescue efforts [2][3].
Dec 27, 2025 – President Bernardo Arevalo posts on social media, expressing regret for the tragedy and pledging that the government “is coordinating all necessary actions to assist those affected,” while the nation observes three days of mourning [3].
Feb 3, 2026 – A pilgrimage bus carrying roughly 60 pilgrims overturns on a curved highway in São José da Tapera, Alagoas, Brazil, killing 15 people (including three children) and prompting airlifts for the seriously injured; authorities attribute the crash to driver loss of control that caused multiple rollovers [1].
Feb 3, 2026 – Mayor Bueno Higino Filho of Coité do Noia describes the loss as “immense… they were all my friends,” and Governor Paulo Dantas declares three days of mourning in Alagoas, highlighting the communal impact of the disaster [1].