Nearly 70 festivalgoers killed in 2 bus crashes

LA PAZ, Bolivia — At least 31 people died in southern Bolivia on Monday when their bus plunged into a ravine after colliding with a pickup truck, bringing to nearly 70 the number of people killed on roads in recent days, investigators said.

The crash in the southern Potosi Department occurred two days after at least 37 people died when a bus heading to the Oruro Carnival, one of the biggest festivals in Latin America, collided with another bus near the city of Uyuni.

Monday's accident took place around 90 kilometers north of the city of Potosi and also involved Oruro festivalgoers — this time people leaving the Andean city after the weekend carnival which attracts tens of thousands of revelers.

Investigators said they suspected the pickup driver of causing the collision by crossing lanes into oncoming traffic, ramming headlong into the bus, which plummeted down a gorge half a kilometer deep.

Twenty-two people were injured.

The pickup driver was taken into custody in a hospital, where he was being treated for his injuries, police spokesman Limberth Choque said.

The public prosecutor's office said the driver was being investigated for possible homicide and causing serious injury.

Forensic experts were combing the accident scene for evidence.

The driver of one of the buses involved in the weekend crash had allegedly been drinking and was speeding when he too swerved into oncoming traffic, prosecutors said.

Agencies Via Xinhua