Benin: A Malian bus falls into the Ouémé River at Glazoué, 9 survivors and one body found

A serious traffic accident occurred overnight from Saturday, August 16, to Sunday, August 17, 2025, on the Savè–Glazoué axis. A public transport bus, registered in Mali and departing from Lomé for Malanville, fell into a watercourse flowing into the Ouémé River, at the locality of Bethel in the municipality of Glazoué.

According to the latest information reported by Bip Radio, the vehicle was located underwater at 09:53 AM this Sunday. Specialized divers dispatched from Cotonou are currently conducting exploration and extraction operations. Firefighters from the Beninese Civil Protection Agency, naval forces, and the Republican Police are mobilized on site.

The Minister of the Interior, Alassane Seïdou, and the Director-General of the Republican Police (DGPR), Brice Alowanou, are on their way to the disaster site, while the prefect of the Collines has been present since dawn.

A still uncertain provisional toll

The provisional toll is of nine survivors, while one body has already been found and identified. The rest of the passengers are believed to be still trapped inside the submerged vehicle, the total number of which remains unknown.

Rescue operations, made difficult by the depth and current of the river, continue relentlessly. Firefighters, police officers, and civil protection agents are working to try to recover the victims and secure the site.