More than 50 people killed in Guatemala bus crash
On Monday, a bus accident in Guatemala City resulted in the deaths of at least 51 people. The bus, carrying over 70 passengers, veered off a highway bridge and plunged into a polluted ravine.
Details of the Accident:
The bus fell approximately 20 meters (65 feet) from the Puente de Belice bridge at the northern entrance of Guatemala’s capital into a creek contaminated with sewage.
According to the fire department, the driver lost control of the bus and collided with several smaller vehicles before crashing through a metal railing.
Images from the fire department showed the bus partially submerged in wastewater.
Response and Investigation:
Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene.
Rescuers were able to pull 10 injured people from the bus, and they were taken to the hospital.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo declared three days of national mourning and deployed the country’s army and disaster agency to assist in the response.
An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the accident, including whether the bus was overloaded and the fact that the 30-year-old bus still had a license to operate.
