At least 21 people have died and four more were injured after a minibus collided head-on with a lorry in southern Brazil in the early hours of Wednesday. The crash, on the BR-373 highway in Paraná state, is being investigated by authorities to determine its cause, and highlights the persistent problem of deadly road accidents in Brazil.

The collision happened at around 04:30 local time (07:30 GMT) at kilometre 209 of the highway. The minibus belonged to health authorities in the nearby city of Imbituva and was carrying patients and relatives to medical appointments in Ponta Grossa, roughly 60km away. The road has been closed while forensic experts and federal highway police investigate. Brazil recorded more than 34,000 road deaths in 2023 according to a World Bank study, with speeding, drink-driving and phone use frequently cited as causes; in February, 15 people died when a bus carrying pilgrims crashed in Ceará state.