A tourist bus carrying 20 passengers, including a group of Mexicans, was traveling to the ruins of the city of Machu Picchu in Peru. The accident occurred at 11:15 a.m. local time on Monday. At least four Mexicans were injured “with multiple fractures” after the vehicle overturned in the town of Aguas Calientes, eight kilometers from the Inca sanctuary, according to the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There were no fatalities.
According to images that have been spread on the Internet, the bus fell down a slope of about 15 meters in height. The driver momentarily lost sight of the road due to the fog in the area, according to the account of witnesses of the accident to local Peruvian media. In addition, the road was obstructed by rock falls due to the rains, reports the agency. Efe.
The injured were taken to the I-2 Machupicchu Medical Center, part of the Cuzco Network, where five people with “multiple contusions” received medical attention, the news agency said. After being stabilized, they were discharged.
The statement issued by the Mexican Foreign Ministry states that the “regrettable accident” occurred “after a passenger bus went off course.” In addition to the Mexican tourists, there were travelers of other nationalities in the vehicle. The injured are already in contact with the Mexican Embassy in Peru, says the Foreign Ministry, which “will provide them with the required assistance.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs “is in communication with the Peruvian authorities and is monitoring the situation to support the transfer of the injured to the nearest hospital for treatment.” The visit to the ruins of Machu Picchu was part of a trip organized by an agency, “which is also involved in supporting the rescue along with local authorities.”
Alicia Bárcena, the Mexican Foreign Minister, has stated on her profile on the social network X, formerly Twitter: “A regrettable accident in Machu Pichu, Peru, in which Mexican people were affected. Our Mexican Embassy in Lima and our consular staff are already aware and will activate protection and assistance protocols.”
The vehicle involved in the accident belongs to the company Consettur Machupicchu SAC and covers the Hiram Bingham route, which links the town of Aguas Calientes with the Inca ruins. Located in the Eastern mountain range of southern Peru, the ancient city of the pre-Columbian civilization is considered one of the seven wonders of the modern world along with Chichén Itzá in Mexico, the Colosseum in Rome in Italy, the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, the Great Wall of China, the temple of Petra in Jordan and the Taj Mahal in India.
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