Fatal collision on BR-470 kills 72-year-old in Brazil

A fatal head-on collision on the BR-470 highway in Ibirama, Alto Vale do Itajaí, resulted in the death of 72-year-old rural producer Carmelindo Bedin. The accident involved a Chevrolet Onix belonging to the Seara Municipal Health Secretariat and a Volkswagen Gol, which caught fire following the impact.

Bedin was a passenger in the Onix. The vehicle's 58-year-old driver and Bedin's 42-year-old son, who was in the front seat, both sustained serious injuries. The driver of the Volkswagen Gol, a 31-year-old woman, also suffered serious injuries after being rescued by bystanders.

The Federal Highway Police (PRF) are investigating the possibility that a third, unidentified vehicle may have caused the accident by losing control and invading the opposite lane before fleeing the scene. This hypothesis was noted by the Mayor of Seara, Beto Gonçalves.

In response to the tragedy, the Municipality of Seara has declared three days of official mourning.