Goiás van crash kills five students, state declares mourning

A collision between a school van and a truck on highway GO‑518 between Sanclerlândia and Córrego do Ouro in Goiás killed five students from the Colégio Estadual da Polícia Militar 5 de Janeiro and injured seven others. The vehicle, originally owned by the Goiás State Health Fund, was operating without the required registration for inter‑municipal school transport and had no record in the state traffic department.

Governor Daniel Vilela ordered three days of official mourning and suspended classes in the affected municipalities. The police are treating the incident as culpable homicide and are investigating factors such as the driver’s visibility, the absence of brake marks, and the lack of tachographs on both the van and the truck. The 70‑year‑old van driver was paid directly by the students’ parents, and the municipality had taken over maintenance and operation of the vehicle.

Authorities are also examining whether the truck was stationary or moving at speed at the moment of impact. The tragedy has prompted condolences from the state education secretariat, the military police, and the school community.