At least 25 people, mostly children and teenagers, were killed Saturday night in a road accident in Cape Verde during a bus trip on the island of Fogo, according to a new toll released Sunday by public radio.

The representative of the civil protection of the municipality of São Filipe, Josę Canuto, previously reported 24 deaths.

Accidents of this magnitude are rare and the roads are generally in good condition in this West African archipelago of some 550,000 inhabitants, located in the middle of the Atlantic, off the coast of Senegal.

Other people were injured, some seriously, Mr. Canuto added in a statement to the press.

The public radio station, Radio de Cabo Verde (RCV), reports that all the victims will be buried during the day.

According to local authorities, the bus was carrying a total of 32 people, who were returning to São Filipe after an excursion to Cha das Caldeiras near a volcano, Pico do Fogo.

The accident occurred in the town of Campanas, in the northern highlands of São Filipe, when the bus reportedly left the road and fell into a ravine about thirty meters deep, in a rocky area, before plunging into a valley that was difficult to access.

According to reports from public radio, one of the tires burst and the vehicle skidded.

Rescue operations took place throughout the night and seven victims were buried at dawn due to the condition of the bodies, local authorities said.

The bus driver was among the deceased. He organized this excursion every year, usually before the start of the school year, as a gift to the students he transported during the school term.

The delegate of the Ministry of Education in São Filipe, José Pedro Gonçalves, clarified to the press that this trip was not organized within the framework of school.