In the early hours of Wednesday, a minibus transporting patients and relatives from Imbituva – a city in Paraná – collided head‑on with a lorry on the BR‑373 highway.

The accident left at least 23 people dead, including two children, and five others injured.

Police officials confirm that the lorry driver is among the victims, and the forensics team closed the highway for nearly seven hours to investigate.

The minibus was said to be operating under the health authorities of Imbituva, heading to a health appointment near Ponta Grossa about 60 km away.

Brazil regularly records high numbers of fatal road accidents, with the World Bank reporting over 34,000 deaths in 2023, mainly involving motorcyclists.

Authorities are probing the crash's cause, with speed, alcohol and mobile phone use commonly cited factors in such incidents.