Brazil Road Crash Video: 23 Dead in Head-On Minibus-Lorry Collision in Ipiranga, Parana Governor Ratinho Junior Declares 3-Day Mourning
At least 23 people, including two children, were killed and five injured after a minibus and lorry collided head-on on Brazil’s BR-373 highway in Paraná. The minibus was carrying patients, healthcare workers and relatives travelling for medical appointments. Preliminary evidence suggests the lorry crossed into oncoming traffic. Paraná has declared three days of mourning.
At least 23 people, including two children, have been killed and five others injured after a minibus and a lorry collided head-on on the BR-373 highway in Brazil’s southern Paraná state, highway police said. The crash happened around 3:30 am Wednesday, August 19, near Ipiranga, with emergency teams working at the scene for hours.
The minibus reportedly belonged to the health authorities of nearby Imbituva and was carrying patients, healthcare workers and relatives travelling to medical appointments in Ponta Grossa, about 60km away, BBC reported. Preliminary evidence suggests the lorry, which was not carrying cargo, crossed into oncoming traffic before the collision. Helicopter Crash in Brazil Video: 6 Killed After 2 Helicopters Collide Mid-Air, Crash Into EV Dealership in Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil Road Crash Video
BRASIL | Um acidente entre um micro-ônibus e um caminhão deixou 21 mortos e quatro feridos na BR-373, em Imbituva, na região Central do Paraná. A colisão foi registrada na madrugada desta quarta-feira (19). #caminhao #onibus #acidente #parana #abcmais pic.twitter.com/XYaAbwgMT9
— Jornal NH (@jornalnh) August 19, 2026
Crash On BR-373 Highway
The accident occurred near Ipiranga, a city of about 14,000 people in central Paraná, around 560km south of São Paulo. The crash site was located at kilometre 209 of the BR-373 highway. The road was closed for almost seven hours as forensic experts and members of Brazil's federal highway police examined the scene.
Among those killed was the lorry driver, police said. The company operating the highway's toll booths said the victims included 13 women, eight men and two children. Plane Crash in Brazil: Small Plane Crashes Into Building in Belo Horizonte, Pilot Trapped in Wreckage; Chilling Video Surfaces.
Minibus Was Carrying Patients And Relatives
Authorities said the minibus passengers included healthcare workers, patients and family members. The vehicle was travelling from Imbituva to Ponta Grossa for medical appointments when it collided with the lorry.
Local media reported that three of the five injured people were in serious condition and were being taken to hospitals for treatment. Footage broadcast by TV Globo showed the truck on the side of the road and the heavily damaged minibus, with shattered glass and passengers' belongings scattered around the crash site.
Brazil's traffic police said preliminary evidence indicates that the lorry crossed into incoming traffic before colliding with the minibus. Authorities have opened an investigation to establish what caused the vehicles to collide and determine the circumstances leading up to the crash. The lorry's registration plate was from Erechim in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, while the minibus came from Imbituva in Paraná.
3 Days of Mourning Declared
Diante da tragédia em Ipiranga, determinei luto oficial de três dias em todo o Estado.
Neste momento de profunda dor, minha solidariedade está com as famílias que perderam seus entes queridos e com todos os feridos.
— Ratinho Junior (@ratinho_jr) August 19, 2026
Paraná Declares Three Days Of Mourning
The crash was described as the deadliest in the region since 2021, when 19 people were killed after a bus crashed outside Curitiba. Paraná state Governor Ratinho Junior issued a decree declaring three days of mourning following the latest tragedy. Emergency teams and local police remained at the site for several hours as authorities completed their work.
Deadly road traffic accidents are not uncommon in Brazil. According to a World Bank study, more than 34,000 people died in road accidents in Brazil in 2023, with motorcyclists accounting for most of the fatalities. Research has identified excessive speed, driving while intoxicated and mobile phone use as common factors in road crashes. In February, 15 people were killed when a bus carrying pilgrims to a festival crashed in the northeastern state of Ceará.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2026 12:29 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
