25 Victims Laid to Rest After School Bus Plummets 100 Feet into Rocky Ravine During Field Trip

'We are talking about the greatest tragedy we have ever had in post-independence Cape Verde,' said Prime Minister Francisco Carvalho NEED TO KNOW Twenty-five victims, including children and teenagers, were laid to rest after a school bus plummeted 100 feet into a rocky ravine The incident occurred on Sept. 5, when the bus was on the way back from a private field trip that was organized by the bus driver, who died in the crash "We want technical experts to provide a certain analysis so we can present conclusions based on specialist data," Prime Minister Francisco Carvalho said after the tragedy Twenty-five victims, including children and teenagers, have been laid to rest after they were killed in a tragic bus crash in Cape Verde. On Saturday, Sept. 5, a school bus carrying more than 30 passengers crashed and plummeted 100 feet into a ravine on the Campanas de Cima route in Fogo Island, according to local outlet Sloboden Pečat, NBC affiliate WJAR and News.com.au. "In light of this painful tragedy, which resulted in the loss of human lives and left several people injured, the Municipality of São Filipe wishes, first and foremost, to express its deepest solidarity with the families of the victims, their colleagues, teachers, the educational communities, and the entire population deeply shaken by this event," São Filipe's Municipal Council said in a translated statement shared to Facebook. The passengers, many of them students, were returning from an annual private field trip in Chã das Caldeiras, which was organized by the bus driver, when the crash occurred. Infopress reported that the driver was among those who died, per Sloboden Pečat. "The City Hall informs that it currently maintains a team in the field, in close coordination with the Health Department, the National Police, the Municipal Volunteer Fire Department (MVFD) and other competent authorities, in order to ensure immediate assistance to the victims and their respective families," the Municipal Council continued in its statement. While emergency personnel worked through the night to rescue victims who were trapped in the wreckage, News.com.au reported that the efforts came to a halt once first responders reached a rocky valley that was difficult to reach. Following the fatal incident, Cabo Verde reported that Prime Minister Francisco Carvalho announced the creation of a multidisciplinary emergency response team that will remain on standby to more efficiently respond to future crises. "We are talking about the greatest tragedy we have ever had in post-independence Cape Verde," Carvalho said during a press conference, noting that officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure would be arriving on Fogo Island on Tuesday, Sept. 8, to further investigate the mechanical condition of the vehicle and the safety of the road infrastructure. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "We want technical experts to provide a certain analysis so we can present conclusions based on specialist data," he added. While seven victims were immediately buried due to their conditions, mourners gathered for the funeral of the 18 remaining victims on Sunday, Sept. 6. President José Maria Pereira Neves called the incident "a great tragedy" on Facebook after he attended the funeral alongside the prime minister, the ministers of justice and health and the local authorities. In a separate Facebook post, São Filipe's Municipal Council declared two days of mourning in honor of the "premature loss of such young lives." Read the original article on People