The Mississippi Highway Patrol announced that early Saturday morning, a passenger bus traveling on Interstate 20 in Warren County left the roadway and overturned. The bus, which was en route from Atlanta to Dallas, was involved in a tragic accident in Mississippi that resulted in the deaths of seven individuals, including a 6-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, while injuring 36 others.
Emergency responders from the Mississippi Highway Patrol arrived at the scene at 12:40 a.m. They reported that the bus was traveling westbound when it lost control and overturned on Interstate 20 in Warren County.
A news release from the agency indicated that no other vehicles were involved in the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) noted that the bus experienced “a tire failure” while on the interstate, although the precise cause of the accident remains under investigation.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol confirmed that one passenger succumbed to injuries at a nearby hospital, while six others were pronounced dead at the scene. The Warren County Coroner’s office identified two of the deceased as siblings, a 6-year-old boy and his 16-year-old sister, both of whom were from Guatemala.
The identities of the victims have not been disclosed pending notification of their next of kin.
According to a statement from the highway patrol on Saturday evening, all 36 survivors from the bus were transported to hospitals with injuries that were described as “unknown.” Initially, the agency reported a total of 37 injuries.
The passenger manifest indicated that there were 41 individuals on board, excluding the two drivers who were also present.
Regiomontanos Autobuses is identified as the registered owner of a 2018 Volvo commercial passenger bus, as per the agency’s records. The U.S. Department of Transportation indicates that the company operates a facility in Atlanta and is headquartered in Laredo, Texas.
Within the 24 months leading up to Friday, the records reveal that the company’s vehicles were involved in one fatal accident, two incidents resulting in injuries, and one occurrence that necessitated a tow truck.
During the same timeframe, the records indicate that the operational status of its buses and drivers was maintained at a lower average rate than the national standard for similar carriers.
Regiomontanos Autobuses did not provide an immediate response to an email request for comment. A representative who answered a company phone line registered with the Department of Transportation advised that media inquiries should be directed to a later time.
The federal transportation department reports that the company stated on a federal registration form that its buses traveled nearly 2.1 million miles in 2023.
Regiomontanos Autobuses is categorized as a transportation provider for hire. Its federal carrier safety rating is classified as “conditional,” and the department has indicated that a compliance review is currently underway.
According to a safety rating primer issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a compliance review may be initiated to examine possible violations of safety regulations or to address complaints regarding motor carriers, among other reasons.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol, along with the Commercial Transportation Enforcement Division, is actively investigating the collision.
In collaboration with the highway patrol, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will send a team to investigate the incident, as announced in a recent statement by the agency.
