Sarajevo Canton's government declared April 16 as the Day of mourning after 4 Sarajevo teachers died in a traffic accident, returning from Pale settlement where they attended their colleague's funeral.

The government held an emergency session on Saturday when they decided to declare Tuesday, April 16, as the Day of Mourning, following the horrific death of four teachers, Merima Balkic, Lejla Sadikovic, Almina Corovic and Mina Kadric, whose car ran off the road into the Miljacka river canyon, right outside Sarajevo.

According to the Principal of Kovacici Elementary School, Nadja Pejak, the four women were at their colleague's funeral in Pale settlement.

“The Canton Sarajevo government expresses deep regret for the tragic death of Kovacici Elementary School employees and sends its condolences to the families of the deceased,” the government said.

Bosnia's tripartite Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik and member Sefik Dzaferovic also sent their telegrams of condolences to the families.

“The horrific traffic accident that took four lives is a huge loss for their families, the school in which they worked and an irrecoverable loss for the society as a whole. On the Presidency's and my own behalf, I express the deepest sympathy for the families of the victims, their colleagues at the Primary School Kovacici and the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton,” Chairman Dodik wrote.

“I was deeply saddened by the news of an accident in which four teachers lost their lives near Sarajevo. Their deaths represent an irrecoverable loss for the families and the Kovacici Elementary School's collective. I send my deepest condolences to the families and the school employees,” Sefik Dzaferovic wrote in his telegram.

Istocno Sarajevo Police department said autopsies of the four bodies would be conducted on Saturday.