ABIDJAN, July 14 (Xinhua) -- 24 people died and 36 people were injured when an intercity passenger bus overturned and fell into the Bafing River on the Touba-Biankouma highway in northwestern Ivory Coast.
In the statement made by the Ivory Coast Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs on Monday, it was stated that the bus carrying 69 people, including the crew, went off the road and fell into the river while traveling from the city of Odienne to Yamoussoukro.
Stating that the cause of the accident has not yet been determined, the ministry announced that search and rescue teams were dispatched to the region to find the missing passengers.
The Ministry also called on drivers to be careful and strictly obey traffic rules, especially during the rainy season.