Thirty-one people have died, and ten others have been injured, some seriously, when a bus fell off a bridge on Tuesday, February 27, in southeastern Mali, announced the Malian Ministry of Transport. The vehicle was en route to Burkina Faso.

"A bus... that was leaving Kéniéba commune for Burkina Faso tipped off a bridge. The likely cause is the driver losing control of the vehicle," a statement from the ministry said. The accident occurred around 5 PM local time on National Highway No. 7, specifically on the Niéna-Koumantou section, according to the ministry. The vehicle veered off the road while on the bridge crossing the Bagoé River. Victim assistance is underway.

Frequent road accidents "Drivers and road users [are urged] to exercise vigilance and caution by adopting responsible and citizen behavior," the ministry emphasizes.

Another accident killed fifteen people and injured 46 eight days ago after a collision between a bus and a truck in the central part of the country. Road accidents are common in Mali, where many roads are in poor condition.