South Korean travel YouTuber Cho Jin-woo, known online as JinsTravel, died at age 33 on November 4, 2026, after a large cargo truck struck him while he cycled in El Alto, Bolivia.
The collision happened around 9:15 a.m. near Avenida Cívica at the entrance to Avenida Litoral, close to the Zona Franca roundabout, according to Bolivian police. Witnesses at the scene tried to help him, but he died from his injuries before any further aid arrived. The truck driver, a man approximately 50 years old, left the area without stopping. El Alto traffic police later arrested him several hours afterward. A breathalyzer test returned zero alcohol, and the driver told investigators he had not seen the bicycle.
Major Nelson Medina, head of the accident investigation unit for El Alto traffic police, confirmed the details in statements carried by local outlets including UNITEL and Red Uno. The case was referred to the Ministerio Público for further inquiry, and the truck remains held. Neighbors reported that the vehicle continued past the impact point, which police are examining as part of the hit-and-run investigation.
Cho launched his YouTube channel in 2020 under the name JinsTravel, also rendered in Korean media as Jinsseurebeul. He documented long-distance bicycle journeys and had built an audience of roughly 66,000 to 74,000 subscribers. From March 31, 2022, to September 4, 2023, he rode across Europe for 523 consecutive days, covering about 23,200 kilometers through 36 countries. He later traveled sections of Africa, Canada, and the United States before starting a Latin American route from Mexico and Guatemala in 2025. His final upload, posted October 30, showed him riding through the Peruvian Andes with a South Korean flag on his bike.
An acquaintance posted the death notice on Cho’s YouTube channel on November 5 with the family’s permission. Cho’s older brother later shared updates on Instagram and YouTube, saying the family was coordinating with the South Korean Embassy in Bolivia to arrange local procedures and repatriate the remains for a funeral in Korea. The brother asked viewers to refrain from unverified speculation and malicious comments while the family handled the return. Embassy staff had already contacted police and begun assisting with consular matters.
El Alto ranks among Bolivia’s higher-risk cities for traffic crashes. Official data from the Observatorio Boliviano de Seguridad Ciudadana show the city accounted for 9.1 percent of the country’s 18,570 traffic incidents in 2023, with many occurring on high-volume avenues such as Litoral and 6 de Marzo. Most involve driver error rather than impairment. Cho’s route took him through areas where heavy trucks share roads with limited dedicated cycling infrastructure.
Police continue to reconstruct the sequence of the collision. No charges have been publicly detailed beyond the detention of the driver. Cho’s channel remains online with the videos of his earlier stages across Europe and the Americas. His family has said they plan to complete the formalities in Bolivia before bringing him home.
