25 killed, dozens injured as passenger bus crashes into ravine in Algeria

ALGIERS: At least 25 people were killed and 44 others injured after a passenger bus crashed into a ravine near Algeria’s coastal town of Boumerdes on Friday, according to the country’s civil defence agency.

The civil defence said the bus went off the road for unknown reasons and fell into the ravine near Boumerdes, located east of the capital Algiers.

Emergency teams reached the site at around 9:40am local time and launched rescue operations to assist passengers. Officials warned that the death toll could increase as several injured victims remained in critical condition.

The accident is being described as one of the deadliest road crashes in Algeria in recent years.

In August last year, 18 people were killed when another passenger bus plunged into a ravine near Algiers. Earlier in December, 14 people lost their lives after a bus overturned in the southern Bechar region.

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According to Algerian road safety authorities, human factors including speeding are among the leading causes of traffic accidents in the country.

Official data showed that in 2025, around 3,838 people were killed and more than 37,000 others injured in road accidents across Algeria, highlighting ongoing concerns over road safety.