MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian bus plunges off cliff leaving at least 10 dead, many injured

The driver lost control on a sharp bend in the road amid heavy rains

A bus, which had departed from the city of Tres Lagoas, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul bound for Telemaco Borba, in the State of Paraná fell off a cliff, killing at least 10 people, while 21 others were injured, local authorities said Thursday.

The accident took place Wednesday evening, when the driver presumably lost control on a winding stretch of the highway and plunged into a ravine in the city of Sapopema, about 70 kilometers short of the final destination and 300 kilometers from Curitiba, the State capital.

The passengers were outsourced employees from various parts of Brazil who had left Minas Gerais to do maintenance work at a Parana pulp mill, local police told reporters.

According to witnesses, it was raining heavily at the time of the accident and the stretch where the accident occurred is composed of a series of sharp curves that impair the visual range of drivers.

Rescue workers removed the victims with difficulty as the vehicle was twisted by the impact, which also delayed the rescue of those who had survived but were trapped in the bus.

The driver lost control on a sharp bend in the road, with one lane in each direction, overturning on the left side and falling off a cliff, the Paraná highway police said in a bulletin.

In addition to the deceased, the police reported 21 injured, without giving details on the condition of each one.