Tragedy in Peru: at least 24 dead after a bus fell into a 200-meter abyss

At least 24 people died and another 21 were injured when the passenger bus in which they were traveling fell into a chasm, in a remote area of ​​the southern Andean region of Huancavelica, in Peru, during the early hours of this Monday.

The accident occurred around 01:30 local time (06.30 GMT) this Monday when the bus, which was traveling between the cities of Huancayo and Huanta, fell into the abyss more than 200 meters deep, for reasons not yet specified, at the height of an area known as Huaccoto, in the province of Churcampa, more than 650 kilometers from Lima.

A representative of the Molina Unión company, owner of the vehicle, confirmed to Canal N the large number of victims of the accident and said that the company is “taking charge from the first moment.”

“At the moment we know that there are 24 deaths,” said the spokesperson, who identified herself as Angie Cabrera.

The official Andina agency added that firefighters from the province of Churcampa and also from the city of Huanta, in the Ayacucho region, arrived at the scene of the accident, as well as agents from the National Police from both locations.

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Health personnel from the Churcampa Health Network were also sent to participate in the first care tasks for the injured, who were transferred to health centers in the neighboring regions of Huancavelica and Ayacucho.

Local media reported that 12 of the injured were treated and released, while the others will be transferred to the Huanta hospital, where at least one person arrived in serious condition.

Among the injured there are four Venezuelans, three of them children between nine and three years old.

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The mayor of Anco, Manuel Zevallos, told the RPP radio station that during the early morning he arrived at the accident area, at kilometer 358 of the Huancayo-Ayacucho Road Network, which, he said, It was affected by an avalanche almost a month ago and had not received maintenance work.

“The Ministry of Transportation never looked at it (…) and practically as a result of that we had an accident. Our health center has collapsed,” he declared.

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Accidents of this magnitude are common on the roads of Peru, caused mostly by the recklessness of drivers, the poor condition of the roads and the vehicle fleet, and the rugged geographical conditions.

Around 3,000 people die in traffic accidents in Peru every year. the majority due to accidents, and some 55,000 are injured, according to figures from the National Road Safety Council.

EFE