Collision on BR-116 kills 16 from the same family who were returning from their birthday in Amargosa By Carolina Costa
3 min read
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A head-on collision between a van and a truck left 16 dead on Sunday afternoon on BR-116. The accident occurred around 4:40 pm at kilometer 506, in a section of the municipality of Santa Terezinha. Todas the fatal victims belonged to the same family. Elas lived in Salvador and returned to the capital after a birthday party in Amargosa.
The impact was violent. The van was heading in the direction Feira of Santana-Salvador. The truck entered the wrong lane, according to the first police assessments. Quatro people survived, but with serious injuries. One of them underwent surgery.
Família lived in Salvador’s suburb
The 16 victims lived in the Fazenda Coutos neighborhood, in the railway suburb of Salvador. Elas had spent the weekend at Amargosa, where they participated in the celebration. The return journey ended in tragedy.
- The bodies were distributed between Departamento of Polícia Técnica of Santo Antônio of Jesus and Feira of Santana
- Sete were taken to one unit and nine to the other
- Official identification was still underway on Monday morning.
The family traveled together. Nomes have not been released by authorities to date. The group occupied the van that was traveling along the federal highway.
Motorista from the truck is charged with intentional homicide
The truck driver was rescued and initially taken to Hospital Municipal from Itatim. Depois, transferred to Hospital Regional from Santo Antônio from Jesus. Ele remains in custody on site. Polícia Civil booked him in the act for intentional homicide while driving the vehicle.
Investigadores point out signs that the truck entered the wrong lane. Ainda no conclusion regarding speed, fatigue or other conditions. Perícia technique will analyze the vehicles and the exact location of the crash.
Rodovia was blocked for 12 hours
The section of BR-116 was closed in both directions shortly after the accident. The blockade lasted about 12 hours. Traffic was released around 4am on Monday, June 1st.
Equipes of Polícia Rodoviária Federal and Corpo of Bombeiros worked to remove the victims and clean the runway. The head-on collision destroyed part of the front of both vehicles. Imagens from the location shows great destruction.
Governador declares three days of official mourning
The governor of Bahia, Jerônimo Rodrigues, declared three days of official mourning in the state. Ele published a message on social media expressing solidarity with the families.
The text mentions monitoring the situation and supporting victims. The decree recognizes the impact of the tragedy throughout Bahia.
Rescue Operation Detalhes
Bombeiros from several barracks worked to remove the bodies. The work took place during Sunday night. Médicos coroners and experts were present from the early hours.
Quatro survivors received initial care at the scene. Eles were taken to hospital units in the region. Their health condition is considered serious.
Polícia Rodoviária Federal opened an investigation to determine responsibilities. Experts should provide more information on the dynamics of the collision in the coming days. Familiares of the victims began to be reported throughout the night.
The accident once again exposes the risks of the BR-116 on single-lane stretches. Local and federal Autoridades should evaluate additional security measures in the region.
