Peru Bus Crash: 16 Dead in Andean Ravine Plunge

A double-decker bus travelling from the capital, Lima, to Ayacucho, plunged into a ravine in the Ayacucho region of the southern Peruvian Andes on Tuesday.

The accident resulted in at least 16 fatalities, according to authorities, as reported by AFP and cited by Agerpres.

The bus plummeted into the 100-metre-deep ravine and landed on its roof. Rescue efforts were hampered by a hailstorm, according to Wiber Vega, head of the Ombudsman's Office in Ayacucho.

Road accidents are a frequent occurrence in Peru, attributed to a combination of factors including speeding, poor road conditions, inadequate signage, and weak enforcement of traffic regulations by law enforcement.

The Ministry of Transport in Lima reported 3,138 deaths in road accidents nationwide in 2023. Human factors, such as driver fatigue and incompetence, were cited as the cause of 70% of these accidents.

Translation by Iurie Tataru