The fatal incident unfolded early Saturday morning, approximately 5 km (3 miles) from the city of Uyuni. The police reported that the collision resulted from a "lane invasion" as the buses were en route from Uyuni to Colchani within the Potosí region.
According to police commander Wilson Flores, one of the bus drivers is in intensive care while the other is in stable condition. Images from Bolivian media depict a scene of devastation, with a mangled coach and personal belongings strewn across the roadway.
The buses were both on their way to Oruro, where the Oruro Carnival, one of the largest festivals in Latin America, is currently being celebrated. By 10:00 local time (14:00 GMT), the wreckage was cleared, and emergency services transported the injured parties to hospitals in Oruro and Potosí.
The identity of those who perished remains unknown, and the condition of those injured is still being evaluated. Police are also awaiting the results of alcohol tests conducted on the drivers.
Traffic fatalities are all too common in Bolivia, with over 1,400 people losing their lives in road accidents each year in a nation of roughly 12 million inhabitants. This includes a severe accident earlier this year in February, where more than 30 individuals died when a bus plunged nearly 800 meters (2625 feet) into a ravine between Potosí and Oruro, and another incident in January that claimed 19 lives.
