The Vicksburg Fire Department was dispatched to the scene of a catastrophic tragedy that would leave the community in shock in late August 2024.

Seven people, including a 6-year-old kid, were killed in the horrific tragedy that occurred when a charter bus carrying 47 passengers crashed.

In addition to causing grief, the tragedy would prompt inquiries concerning the series of circumstances that resulted in such a devastating catastrophe. What actually took place that day?

This essay explores the events leading up to this terrible accident.

The Bovina bus accident

The only sound on this calm, dark Saturday morning in Mississippi was the hum of cars.

Near Bovina, in Warren County, a 2018 Volvo bus with 47 people on board was traveling from Atlanta to Dallas on Interstate 20. The road ahead appeared to be peaceful, but everything changed in a matter of seconds.

The bus swerved off the road shortly after 12:30 a.m. It veered off course and flipped over onto an embankment.

36 injured and 8 dead

The carnage was unthinkable as the bus smashed off the road and flipped over.

During the collision, a number of passengers were forcibly removed from the vehicle. Many of the passengers were flung from the bus as it ended up in a ditch, according to tow truck driver Keith Allison, who spoke to WAPT.

Tow truck driver Keith Allison stated, “We had to get the bus stood up to get it where the bodies had come through the windows.”

The incident may have been more severe because it happened late at night, when visibility and reaction times are frequently impaired.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol reports that one person passed away at Merit Health River Region and six others were unfortunately declared dead at the scene. Thirty-six more were sent to local hospitals via ambulance.

It’s awful whenever someone is hurt or killed, but in a case like this, where there are several fatalities and several injuries, it’s even worse, Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace told CNN affiliate WAPT.

The victims

All seven of the victims of the bus accident were Mexican citizens.

Magan Gonzalez, a resident of Warren County, told Vicksburg News that the bus carried a number of families.

People were attempting to exit the bus but were stuck inside. “Somehow, a young couple was out and about,” Gonzalez stated.

Kain Gutierrez, age 8, and his sister, Perla Gutierrez, age 16, were among the victims. 16-year-old Angelica Palomino was also killed in the collision. Miguel Ariaga, 61; Elia Guzman, 63; and brothers Victor Aviles Garcia, 32, and Moises Aviles Garcia, 30 were among the other victims.

After the National Transportation Safety Board conducted a preliminary inquiry, Warren County Coroner Doug L. Huskey made the names public.

According to the investigation, the motor coach veered off the road and overturned, most likely due to a tire failure. Kain Gutierrez was initially misdiagnosed as six years old due to a language issue, however this was later changed.

Which business ran the bus?

The Laredo, Texas-based Autobuses Regiomontanos company operated the Volvo bus that was involved in the deadly collision in Mississippi on Saturday, August 31.

The company, which has been offering cross-border travel between 100 locations in Mexico and the United States for 20 years, has encountered some criticism during that time.It has experienced driver fitness violations, litigation, and even another deadly collision in 2023.

What led to the collision?

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Todd Inman said a team, including the Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP) and the Mississippi Commercial Transportation Enforcement Division, had been dispatched to Mississippi to examine the collision. Inman added that a preliminary report on the incident will be released by the NTSB within 30 days, and that a final study would be finished in 12 to 24 months.

However, officials had a theory about what had transpired quite early on. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), “tire failure” was thought to be the cause of the collision.

Many people may have concluded that the incident was caused by a blown tire because of the driver’s reaction.

According to Magan Gonzalez, a resident of Warren County, “the driver was very upset that he couldn’t control the bus and felt responsible for the accident.”

“He kept blaming himself and didn’t understand why the tire blew out and he couldn’t keep the bus on the road.”

Three or four distinct elements

Tood Inman, an NTSB member, responded that investigators are looking at three or four potential causes for the collision when asked what kind of tire failure happened.

These elements include occupant protection, tire upkeep, and an inspection of the motor carrier itself.

May everyone who died in this terrible accident be blessed with the light of paradise.