At least 37 people were killed and 24 injured in southern Peru on Wednesday when a double-decker bus plunged into a ravine after colliding with a pickup truck, officials said.
The accident in Arequipa is one of the worst in recent years in the South American nation, where road fatalities are frequent.
It occurred at around dawn along a stretch of the Panamericana Sur highway that connects Peru with Chile.
“We have a figure of 37 fatalities…in addition to 24 injured, Walther Oporto, the regional health manager of Arequipa, told AFP.
However, the death toll could rise because some people were seriously injured in the crash, he said by telephone.
The double-decker bus, operated by the Llamosas company, had departed on Tuesday night from Chala, a town in Caraveli province, and was heading to Arequipa, Peru’s second-largest city. It was carrying more than 60 passengers.
The vehicle fell into a ravine approximately 200 meters (650 feet) deep after colliding head-on with the pickup on a curve, according to local media reports that cited firefighters.
The bus rolled down the ravine and ended up on a riverbank.
Fire department spokesman Jack Paez said the rocky terrain was hampering rescue efforts.
“This accident…has brought grief to many families. There are elderly people and children” among the injured, he told TV Peru.
A priest was at the scene of the crash, praying beside bodies lined up on the riverbank, according to images released by the prosecutor’s office.
The truck’s driver, who survived, was detained.
“The necessary procedures will be carried out to determine his responsibility in the accident,” the Arequipa prosecutor’s office said in a Facebook post.
The bus driver was killed, the Llamosas transportation company said.
At least two dozen police officers were coordinating with firefighters “on rescuing people, evacuating the injured, and recovering bodies,” the Ministry of the Interior said.
Deadly traffic accidents are a common occurrence in Peru due to speeding, drunk driving, poor road conditions, lack of signage and weak enforcement by authorities.
The country’s mountainous topography can also make driving conditions perilous.
In February 2018, near the site of Wednesday’s accident, 44 people were killed after a bus plunged into the river below.
Last year, 3,173 deaths were recorded on the country’s roads
