At least 24 dead, dozens injured after bus plunges into ravine in Peru

At least 24 people have been killed while 35 are injured after a bus veered off a cliff in the mountainous region of southeastern Peru, according to news agency AFP. 

The inter-city bus was travelling overnight in the Andes mountain between Huancayo and Huanta when it careened off into a 200m-deep (650 ft) ravine. Locals were the first to arrive on the scene and managed to pull out some passengers who were alive inside the mangled vehicle. 

The firefighters from Huanta and the province of Churcampa were quickly dispatched to the area, but not before two dozen people had lost their lives.

"The number of dead has risen to 24, including two children," the health ministry posted on social media.

So far, the authorities have not revealed what might have caused the fatal accident. However, the mayor of a nearby town told a local radio channel that the accident occurred on the spot that had been left damaged after a landslide a month ago. The mayor added that the spot had not been repaired and could have potentially caused the unfortunate accident. 

The accident could have turned even more disastrous if it wasn't for some bushes in which the bus got stuck. The branches of the tree prevented the coach from being washed away in a nearby river which could have increased the casualty count. 

Such bus crashes are a regular phenomenon in Peru, especially at night on the mountain highways. Poor road conditions, lack of signage, and poor enforcement of traffic rules leading to speeding are a few of the reasons for increased road accidents. 

An accident in the same area last month left 13 dead while leaving five seriously wounded. According to official numbers, some 3,300 people died in traffic accidents in the South American country in 2022 alone.