In brief
A car overturned and sank in a lake in Barra Mansa, Rio de Janeiro, on the night of November 8, killing ten passengers, including children. Xinhua reports four children among the victims, while BSS/AFP reports five. The accident occurred on a poorly lit, unmonitored stretch of road, and authorities are still investigating the cause.
A car plunged into a lake in the small town of Barra Mansa in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state on the early hours of November 8, killing all ten people inside, local police said Sunday.
According to Xinhua, the boat was carrying four children who died with the other six passengers. Another report from BSS/AFP lists five children among the ten fatalities.
Police said the incident occurred on a poorly lit stretch of road without any public lighting or nearby surveillance cameras. A passerby noticed the overturned vehicle in the lake and immediately called authorities.
Firefighters on the scene recovered the bodies from the water. All ten victims were traveling in the same vehicle, and the victims’ identities have not yet been released.
The Rio de Janeiro state police are still investigating what caused the crash. Preliminary remarks indicate the accident took place during the wee hours, but no single cause has been identified yet.
Local officials have urged caution on the unlit roads in the area and announced plans to review traffic safety measures, including lighting and the installation of cameras on major highways near Barra Mansa.