Benin – Glazoué Tragedy: Search Resumed to Retrieve the Bus and Find the Missing
The tragedy that occurred during the night from Saturday, August 16, to Sunday, August 17, 2025, on the Thio bridge, municipality of Glazoué, continues to mobilize the authorities in Benin. An international transport bus, registered in Mali, plunged into the Ouémé river with dozens of passengers on board. The latest report mentions 9 survivors, one body found, and 44 people missing. The search resumed on Monday, August 18, at 6:30 AM, despite particularly challenging conditions.
SUMMARY
“The bus was entirely submerged, already around 1:30 AM at nearly 50 feet deep. The chances of survival for those inside are virtually nil. But we are not discouraged, because we never know. Miracles sometimes happen, so we continue to hope nonetheless,” shared Abdel Aziz Bio Djibril, General Director of the Beninese Civil Protection Agency (ABPC).
The rescue teams composed of the National Navy, ABPC firefighters, Republican Police, and technicians equipped with cranes capable of lifting up to 60 tons, are working tirelessly. However, the near zero visibility in muddy and murky water, along with the strong current, make the operation extremely complex.
“While we were removing the bus from the river, every time the divers went into the water, they could hardly see anything. It’s as if it were mud,” explained the head of the firefighters.
“To allow families to bury their dead with dignity”
In the wake of this tragedy, the primary goal of the rescuers is to recover the bodies of the missing. “Our priority at the moment is to pull out the bodies so that families can bury their dead with dignity,” emphasized the General Director of the ABPC.
The authorities, including the Minister of Interior and Public Security, as well as the Prefect of Collines, are supporting the intervention teams. Floating cranes have been brought to the site to try to retrieve the bus swallowed by the river. The search should continue tirelessly on Monday until the vehicle is salvaged and the missing passengers are found.
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