Eighteen people lost their lives and nine others were injured on Friday when tragedy struck in the heart of Algeria’s capital. Authorities said a bus plummeted from a bridge into a river in the Mohammadia district of eastern Algiers, shattering the afternoon calm.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene, pulling victims from the wreckage as the sun dipped low over the city’s skyline. Two of the injured remain in critical condition, fighting for survival in hospital beds as families keep a desperate vigil nearby.
Officials have yet to determine what caused the bus to leave the bridge and plunge into the waters below. Witnesses spoke of chaos and disbelief, describing the sound of twisted metal and the cries of passengers in the fading light.
The district, usually alive with the bustle of commuters, was transformed into a sombre tableau of grief and urgency. Rescue teams worked against time, their efforts illuminated by flashing lights and the glow of streetlamps as darkness settled over Algiers.
The disaster has stirred sorrow across the nation, with many calling for swift answers and assurances to prevent such tragedies again. For now, the city mourns its dead, clinging to hope for the injured, as investigators search for the story behind the fall.